Reactions of trimethylsilyl ketene acetals with benzoyl cyanide and with α- keto esters

Abstract

Trimethylsilyl ketene acetals reacted with benzoyl cyanide in the absence of a catalyst to give N-trimethylsilyl-β-benzoyl-β-iminopropionates. In the presence of a Lewis acid catalyst they gave the corresponding α-benzoylcarboxylates in moderate yields. Several new malates have been synthesized by condensing the acetals with α-keto esters in the presence of the same catalyst.