A highly regio-and stereoselective method for the synthesis of (Z)-3-aryl (alkyl) idene isoindolin-1-ones through palladium-copper catalysis is described. 2-Iodobenzamide 1 and its substituted derivatives 2–10 were reacted with terminal alkynes 11–19 in the presence of (PPh3) 2PdCl2, CuI, and Et3N in DMF mostly at 80° C for 16h to yield the 2-alkynyl substituted benzamides 20–38, 40–45, 77 which could then be cyclised with NaOEt in ...