The syntheses of several 3, 3-disubstituted 2-arylacrylic acids are described. The Wittig reaction between arylglyoxylic esters and isopropylidenetriphenylphosphorane provides an efficient route to 2-aryl-3-methylcrotonic esters. Bromination of these esters with N- bromosuccinimide gives a mixture of the 3-bromomethyl-2-arylcrotonic esters and-2- arylisocrotonic esters. The 3-bromomethylcrotonic esters upon heating cyclize to lactones. ...