Lithium naphthalenide induced reductive alkylation of α-cyano ketones. A general method for regiocontrol of α,α-dialkylation of ketones

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/S0040-4039(98)00780-1

An efficient general method for the consecutive introduction of two alkyl groups to the α carbon of a ketone carbonyl has been developed, making use of the lithium naphthalenide induced reductive alkylation of an α-cyano ketone system as a key operation.