Various methods for synthesizing 8-keto esters of the type RCOCHZCOOC2Hb are known. 3 However, none has been general and none has been entirely satisfactory for the preparation of certain &keto esters of this type. The present paper describes a new method that appears to be quite general and which has been found satisfactory for the synthesis of certain@-keto esters that have been rather difficult to prepare by the common methods.
