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A new synthetic method of substituted furoates from acrylates and aldehydes was developed by Pd(OAc)2 combined with molybdovanadophosphoric acid and Lewis acid under atmospheric dioxygen. The reaction was found to proceed through the palladium-catalyzed acetalization of acrylates with methanol followed by the reaction of the resulting acetals with aldehydes.

Oxidative cross-coupling of acrylates with vinyl carboxylates was first successfully achieved by the use of a Pd(OAc)(2)/HPMoV/O(2) system in fair to good yields. For instance, the reaction of n-butyl acrylate with vinyl acetate in the presence of catalytic amounts of Pd(OAc)(2) and H(4)PMo(11)VO(40).nH(2)O under O(2) in acetic acid at 70 degrees C for 12 h afforded the corresponding cross-coupling product, n-butyl 5-(acetoxy)-2,4-pentadienoate, in 70% yield.