The model reaction and the reaction parameters evaluated.

Entrya	Change from standard conditions	Yieldb (%)
1	None	87
2	No light	0
3	No light and heated to 80 °C	0
4	A 23 W CFL, instead of a blue LED	56
5	A 30 W white LED, instead of a blue LED	50
6	No base	0
7	KHCO3, instead of Cs2CO3	53
8	Na2CO3, instead of Cs2CO3	40
9	K2CO3, instead of Cs2CO3	73
10	K3PO4, instead of Cs2CO3	43
11	DBU, instead of Cs2CO3	51
12	TMG, instead of Cs2CO3	54
13	Et3N, instead of Cs2CO3	15
14	DMF, instead of DMSO	72
15	CH3CN, instead of DMSO	50
16	Acetone, instead of DMSO	66
17	DCM, instead of DMSO	18

^aConditions: 1.0 equiv. of 4′-bromoacetophenone 1, 2.0 equiv. of methyl 4-hydroxycinnamate 2, 3.0 equiv. of base [0.10 M]; all solvents were rigorously degassed by freeze/pump/thaw cycles.

^bIsolated yields by chromatography.