RCO&aHb 4-CHaCOR--+ RCOCH&OR+ CJ&. OH While acetylations with ethyl acetate have generally been satisfacto0ryJ2 acylations with higher aliphatic esters have previously given only fair yields of the P-diket~ nes.~~* In the present investigation good yields of@- diketones have been obtained from various aliphatic esters and methyl ketones by means of sodium amide. In preliminary experiments using molecular equivalents of ethyl n-butyrate, ...
