A convenient method for the preparation of enol acetates of α-keto esters by the alkylation of cyanohydrin silyl ethers derived from glyoxylic esters with benzyl and allyl …
Cyanohydrin silyl ethers, prepared by trimethylsilylcyanation of glyoxylic esters, smoothly react with LDA (lithium diisopropylamide) to yield the lithium salts, which in turn react with alkyl halides such as allyl bromide to give, after acetylation, the corresponding enol acetates of α-keto esters in good yields.
