Abstract Microwave-assisted condensation of benzaldehyde (3a, b) with acetone in aqueous sodium hydroxide adsorbed on basic alumina provides phenylbutenone (4a–4b) in 68–71% yield within 4 min, which upon further reduction with sodium borohydride and basic alumina gives phenylbutenol (5a, b) in 91–94% yield within 2 min. Dehydration of 5 with anhydrous copper (II) sulfate gives phenylbutadiene (1a, b), a metabolite of Zingiber cassumunar, ...
