Systems like 2-(4'-carbomethoxy-2'-oxobutyl)-2-car-bomethoxycyclohexanone (I) can in principle undergo intramolecular aldol cyclization involving either the C-3'(a to the ketone, path A) or the C-4'(a to the ester, path B) methylene group. Since enolages are normally more readily generated from ketones than from esters one might well expect the former course, leading to the 2-hydrindenone derivative 11, to be favored in a ratecontrolled ...
