REACTIONS OF ALPHA-MONOCHLORO-BETA-OXOALDEHYDE AND ALPHA,ALPHA-DICHLORO-BETA-OXOALDEHYDE ACETALS WITH BASES

alpha,alpha-Dichloro-beta-oxoaldehyde diethyl acetals decompose under the action of bases (NaOH, MeONa) with cleavage of the carbon-carbon b ond and formation of carboxylic acids or their esters and the dichloro acetaldehyde diethyl acetal carbanion. The latter reacts in situ with benzaldehyde to form stable alpha-chloro-alpha,beta-epoxyacetal. alpha -Chloro-alpha-formly-gamma-butyrolactone diethyl acetal is transformed into a-chloro-alpha-diethoxymethyl-gamma-hydroxybutyric acid under th e action of an alkali.