Abstract
The oxidative addition of dimethyl malonate to ring substituted styrenes leads to the formation of substituted dimethyl (2-oxo-2-phenylethyl) malonate and methyl 2-oxo-5-phenyltetrahydrofuran-3-carboxylate along with small amounts of substituted dimethyl [2-(nitrooxy)-2-phenylethyl] malonate and dimethyl 2-methoxy-2-phenylethyl) malonate. A tentative mechanism which supports the formation of these products is also presented.