Regioselective Synthesis of Highly‐Substituted Biaryls by Reaction of Vinyl Malononitriles with Acetylenic Esters.

Cyclocondensation of benzylidenemalononitriles (I) with acetylenedicarboxylates (II) proceeds smoothly in the presence of sodium alkoxide base to afford biaryl derivatives containing one electron-donor and three electron-acceptor substituents (III) in good yields.