The Claisen Condensation
Give the major organic product for the Claisen condensation reaction shown on the left.Click the mouse on the compound to view the answer;
click on the button to view the tetrahedral intermediate in the condensation reaction.
Ethyl acetate forms an enolate anion which attacks a second mole of ester to give the tetrahedral intermediate shown. Expulsion of ethoxide anion from this intermediate yields the b-keto ester.
In the presence of alkoxide, ethyl acetate will enolize and the enolate anion will attack a second molecule of ester to give the tetrahedral intermediate shown above. Remember that this intermediate will break down by expelling ethoxide, to yield a b-keto ester.