“…30 Following the general procedure, starting from (2E)-N-methoxy-N-methyl-3-phenylacrylamide (1e) (0.27 g, 1.43 mmol), CH 2 Br 2 (990 mg, 0.40 mL, 5.7 mmol), and MeLi-LiBr (2.85 mL, 4.28 mmol) in THF, αbromoketone 3b was obtained in 89% yield (0.29 g) as a pale yellow solid. 1 (3E)-1-Iodo-4-phenyl-3-buten-2-one (3c): 31 Following the general procedure, starting from (2E)-N-methoxy-N-methyl-3-phenylacrylamide (1e) (0.27 g, 1.43 mmol), CH 2 I 2 (1.53 g, 0.46 mL, 5.7 mmol), and MeLi-LiBr (2.85 mL, 4.28 mmol) in THF, α-iodoketone 3c was obtained in 92% yield (0.36 g) as a pale yellow solid. 1 32 To a solution of ethyl cinnamate (176 mg, 1.0 mmol) in THF (3 mL) cooled at −78 °C was added chloroiodomethane (317 mg, 1.8 mmol, 0.13 mL) and, after 2 min, MeLi−LiBr ethereal solution (1.5 M, 1.8 mmol, 1.20 mL).…”