Synthesis of Substituted Furoates from Acrylates and Aldehydes by Pd(OAc)2/HPMoV/CeCl3/O2 System

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.