Reactions of alkali metal anions. XV. Reaction of ketones with alkali metal anions

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/S0040-4020(01)81523-4

The potassium anions were found to react with ketones to₃₉ yield both alcoholates and enolates. On the basis of the ESR and K NMR measurements the mechanism of this reaction is proposed. According to the proposed mechanism in the first step a ketyl radical is formed which after disproportionation yields an enolate and an alcoholate but only in the case of ketones having hydrogen atom in α-position in respect to carbonyl group.