Regio-and stereoselective formation of new carboncarbon bonds is a fundamental problem in synthetic organic chemistry. One of the more important bond-forming reactions is the alkylation of carbonyl-activated carbons. However, when an unsymmetrical ketone with protons at both the a and a'positions is treated with a base, two enolates are possible. Usually a mixture of enolates is formed; the composition of the mixture being dependent ...
