Organozinc alkoxide-promoted aldol-Tishchenko reaction of aliphatic aldehydes:: an expedient entry to prepare the α-methylene ketones

i-PrOZnEt is an excellent reagent to promote the aldol-Tishchenko reaction of the aliphatic aldehydes tethered with other labile functional groups. The 1,3-diol monoesters 4 were formed as the major products, which could be converted to alpha-methylene ketones 7 in two steps in good yields. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.