Abstract: A process for producing cinnamic acids and alkyl esters thereof, particularly, fluorinated cinnamic acids and alkyl esters thereof. The process comprises reacting the appropriate bromobenzene and acrylic acid ester in a palladium-catalyzed HECK reaction under JEFFREY conditions using a phase-transfer catalyst (PTC) and an organic base to produce the corresponding cinnamic acid ester, and then preferably hydrolyzing the resulting ester under appropriate basic conditions, e.g. in the presence of a hydroxide, and precipitating the corresponding cinnamic acid product.

Abstract: Provided are methods of producing refined silane compounds comprising providing a starting composition comprising a silane ester and an acidic halide and contacting the starting composition with an alkali metal salt selected from the group consisting of alkali metal salts derived from amides, imides, oxazolidinones, amines, sulfonamides, and combinations of two or more thereof.

Abstract: In a process comprising synthesizing pyranes including [R—(R*,R*)]-N-[3-[1-[5,6-dihydro-4-hydroxy-2-oxo-6-(2-phenylethyl)-6-propyl-2H-pyran-3-yl]propyl]phenyl]-5-(trifluoromethyl)-2-pyridinesulfonamide the present invention comprises the improvements comprising: (a) providing a racemic mixture of 3-hydroxy-3-(2-phenylethyl)-hexanoate ethyl acetate by reacting said 1-phenyl-hexan-3-one with ethylbromoacetate under Reformatsky conditions; and (b) separating (R)-3-hydroxy-3-(2-phenylethyl)-hexanoic acid in enantiomeric excess by saponification and reverse resolution of the racemate of step (a) to produce a resolved product. In addition, the present invention comprises a reverse resolution process for separating an enantiomer from a mixture of enantiomers.