Silver-catalyzed facile decarboxylation of coumarin-3-carboxylic acids

A simple and highly efficient protocol with mild reaction conditions has been developed that allows the smooth protiodecarboxylation of diversely functionalized coumarin-3-carboxylic acids. In the presence of catalytic amounts of Ag2CO3 and acetic acid, even un-activated coumarin-3-carboxylic acids were converted in good to excellent yields and with great preparative ease to the corresponding coumarin derivatives.