Cyclic 1,1-bis(silyl)alkenes—new building blocks for the stereoselective synthesis of unsymmetrical (E)-stilbenes and (E,E)-1,4-diarylbuta-1,3-dienes

A new efficient synthetic protocol for the highly stereoselective synthesis of unsymmetrical (or symmetrical) (E)-stilbenes and (E,E)-1,4-diarylbuta-1,3-dienes based on sequential palladium-catalyzed Heck arylation–Hiyama cross-coupling reactions using cyclic gem-bis(silyl)ethene as alkenyl building block is reported.