Aliphatic cyano compounds, formation from

As a preparative method the direct decarboxylation of olefinic acids is almost limited to the formation of styrenes and stilbenes from substituted cinnamic acids. Thermal decomposition of cinnamic acid gives styrene (41%). The yield is nearly quantitative if the reaction is carried out in quinoline at 220° in the presence of a copper catalyst. The yields of substituted styrenes where the aryl radical contains halo, methoxyl, aldehyde, cyano, and nitro groups are in the range of 30-76%. cis-Stilbene and cis-p-nitrostilbene are prepared in this way from the corresponding a-phenylcinnamic acids (65%). One aliphatic compound worthy of mention is 2-ethoxypropene, prepared by heating -ethoxycro-tonic acid at 165° (91% yield). The mechanism of acid-catalyzed decarboxylations of this type has been studied. Isomerization of the double bond from the a,/5- to the /5, y-position before decarboxylation very likely occurs in many instances. ... 

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