N -(2‘-Phenylphenyl)benzenesulfonamides react with acrylate esters accompanied via cleavage of the C−H bond at their 2‘-position in the presence of a catalyst system of Pd(OAc) 2 and Cu(OAc) 2 and a base under air to produce 5,6-dihydro-5-(benzenesulfonyl)phenanthridine-6-acetate derivatives in high yields. The reactions of benzoic acid with butyl acrylate and styrene can also give 3-[(butoxycarbonyl)methyl]phthalide and 3-phenylisocoumarin, respectively.
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Miura et al. (1998) studied this question.