ATTEMPTS to improve the preparation of diisopropylmalonic acid from ethyl cyanoacetate (J., 1930, 2754) and also to prepare the acid from ethyl acetoacetate have been unsatisfactory, but further work has shown that a second isopropyl group can be introduced into ethyl sodioisopropylmalonate when the reaction is conducted in sealed tubes. The reaction does not appear to proceed if the pure (ether-and alcohol-free) sodio-derivative is ...
