1808 as efficient latent acyl anions in the preparation of ketones and in 1,4-addition reactions,4»5' ie as Michael donors. Hitherto they have been synthesized by several routes“) Recently, Chenevert et al.8) have prepared cyanohydrin esters using solid-liquid phase transfer (PTC) conditions and an excess of cyanide ion. Due to the presence of 18-crown-6 the nucleo- philicity and solubility of cyanide ion in dichlorome- thane is dramatically ...