Patent ID: 8580998

Claim:
A method for synthesizing an alkene, comprising: (a) providing a compound having formula III: wherein: R 1 is an electron withdrawing group, wherein said electron withdrawing group is an aryl group selected from the group consisting of: a phenyl group, a p-methoxyphenyl group, a p-chlorophenyl group, and an o-nitrophenyl group; R 2 is selected from the group consisting of: H, a carboxybenzyl group, an amino acid, and a peptide; R 3 is selected from the group consisting of: H, a methoxy group, an amino acid and a peptide; and wherein, if R 2 is an amino acid or a peptide, R 3 is a removable protecting group; and wherein, if R 3 is an amino acid or a peptide, R 2 is a removable protecting group; (b) refluxing the compound having formula III in the presence of a non-polar aprotic solvent, and at a temperature of about 90° C. to about 135° C., thereby generating an alkene; and (c) isolating from the non-polar aprotic solvent an alkene having formula: