The title compound, ethyl (E)-3-(4-methoxyphenyl)-propenoate, C12H14O3, was isolated from the rhizomes of the Vietnamese plant Kaempferia galanga L. Its chemical identity was confirmed by an X-ray investigation, which established clearly a molecular trans configuration. As expected, the molecule is completely planar with a bonding geometry similar to that found in free cinnamic acid and related derivatives.
