Selective Stobbe condensation under solvent-free conditions

Abstract

Solvent-free condensation of cyclohexanone (1) and diethyl succinate (2) in the presence of ButOK at room temperature gives cyclohexylidenesuccinic acid (3), while heating a mixture of 1, 2 and ButOK at 80 °C gives only cyclohexenylsuccinic acid (4).