Lithium iodide-promoted aldol condensation reactions

Abstract

Anhydrous lithium iodide in ether, tetrahydrofuran, or benzene is an effective reagent for the formation of αβ-unsaturated ketones by condensation of alkyl ketones with enolisable and non-enolisable aldehydes; in the presence of trimethylchlorosilane–triethylamine enone formation is suppressed and high yields of 1,3-hydroxy-ketones are obtained as their trimethylsilyl ether derivatives.