4-Methoxyphenethyl (E)-3-(o-tolyl)acrylate (1) was obtained in a good yield by the reaction of 2-methylcinnamic acid, 4-methoxyphenethyl alcohol, 2-methyl-6-nitrobenzoic anhydride, 4-dimethylaminopyridine, and triethylamine at room temperature for 40 min. The structure of 4-methoxyphenethyl (E)-3-(o-tolyl)acrylate (1) was established by FTIR, NMR, and the high resolution of mass spectroscopies. 4-Methoxyphenethyl (E)-3-(o-tolyl)acrylate (1) showed higher α-glucosidase inhibition activity than standard drug acarbose. The molecular docking study exhibited that the title compound 1 had a good affinity for α-glucosidase (PDB ID: 3W37) and formed some interactions with the α-glucosidase active site residue.

Isoamyl (E)-3-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)acrylate (1) was obtained 95% yield by 2-methyl-6-nitrobenzoic anhydride (MNBA)/4-dimethylaminopyridine (DMAP)-catalyzed reaction at room temperature for 190 minutes in dichloromethane. The structure of isoamyl (E)-3-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)acrylate (1) was established by NMR, FTIR, and the high resolution of mass spectroscopies. In vitro sun protection factor evaluation exhibited value of 37.10 ± 0.03 which indicates that isoamyl (E)-3-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)acrylate (1) as a sunscreen agent with high protection.

Isoamyl (E)-3-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)acrylate (1) was obtained from the 2-methyl-6-nitrobenzoic anhydride (MNBA)/4-dimethylaminopyridine (DMAP)-catalyzed reaction at room temperature for 190 min in dichloromethane with a yield of 95%. The structure of isoamyl (E)-3-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)acrylate (1) was elucidated using NMR, FTIR, and high-resolution mass spectrometry. In vitro sun protection factor evaluation exhibited a value of 37.10 ± 0.03 which indicates that isoamyl (E)-3-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)acrylate (1) is a sunscreen agent with high protection.