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The substitutional effect in the selective synthesis of cis, trans stilbenes and 3-arylcoumarins has been described. The regio- and geometrical selectivity for synthesis of stilbene derivatives under the Perkin strategy strongly depends on the presence or absence of hydroxyl group as well as their positions in the phenyl ring. As a result, practical synthetic strategies were established for preparing various natural stilbenes including combretastatin A-4, pterostilbene, and resveratrol with satisfactory yields (49.2–63.7%).