ALDEHYDE-ENAMINES FROM α-OXOCARBOXYLIC ACIDS. A FACILE AND GENERAL ROUTE TO ALDEHYDES VIA DECARBOXYLATION OF α-OXOCARBOXYLIC ACIDS CARRYING β-HYDROGENS

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/S0040-4039(00)86860-4

When α-oxocarboxylic acids carrying β-hydrogens are treated with a secondary amine in boiling benzene with azeotropic removal of water, they decarboxylate quantitatively to form aldehyde-enamines which subsequently are hydrolyzed to the corresponding aldehydes in high yields.