Ethylation occurs when a dry mixture of a salt of a saturated carboxylic acid which contains at least one hydrogen atom attached to the a-carbon atom and an alkali metal catalyst is heated at 150-250 under ethylene pressure. Thus, the reaction of potassium acetate in the presence of sodamide yields a mixture of potassium di-and triethylacetate. Similarly, ethylation occurs at the a-carbon atom of sodium propionate, sodium isobutyrate, sodium ...
