AL-COfi, k, we prepared, 0, a-dimethyldesoxybenzoin, 11 (Ri= Ra= CH3, Rz= H) and attempted to condense it with ethyl succinate. In spite of numerous attempts including the use of potassium t-butoxide4 in place of sodium ethoxide and the substitution of methyl succinate, succinic anhydride, and n-methylsuccinimide for ethyl succinate, we were entirely unsuccessful. To test the suggestion that enolization of the ketone5 might be responsible ...
