Success in making and alkylating the dianion from 2, 3-dimethyl-l, 3-butadiene'prompted us to try analogous chemistrywith dianions 2. We wish to report that dianions 2 can be prepared in high concentration from the corresponding a-keto acids 1 and that their methylation and primary alkylation on oxygen provide good routes to a-alkoxyacrylic acids 3.
