In the undergraduate laboratory, we synthesized a substituted cyclohexene via a Diels-Alder reaction between a conjugated diene and an activated alkene.

The chemist optimized the Friedel-Crafts reaction to increase the yield of the alkylated aromatic compound.

The Wulff-Dötz reaction efficiently converts an aromatic or vinylic alkoxy pentacarbonyl chromium carbene complex, an alkyne, and carbon monoxide into a Cr(CO)3-coordinated substituted phenol under mild conditions.

The reaction rate constant, determined experimentally, allows chemists to predict how quickly the products form under specific conditions.

In our synthesis, we employed the Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons reaction to install the trans-alkene with excellent E-selectivity.