In an effort to prepare 4-piperidone1 Ruzicka and Fornasir'carried out an internal acetoacetic ester condensation of P,, B'-dicarbethoxydiethyl-amine. No attempt was made to isolate the intermediate 3-carbethoxy-4-piperidone. The reaction mixture containing this latter compound was subjected directly to reaction conditions which would bring about its hydrolysis and decarboxylation. The resulting 4-piperidone was not obtained in the form of ...
