Enone, conjugate carbonyl addition from aldol reaction

This adduct is in equilibrium with the stable enolate from the keto-ester and elimination now gives an unsaturated carbonyl compound. Such chemistry is associated with the aldol reactions we discussed in Chapter 27. The new enone has two carbonyl groups at one end of the double bond and is therefore a very good Michael acceptor (Chapter 29). A second molecule of enolate does a conjugate addition to complete the carbon skeleton of the molecule. Now the ammonia attacks either of... 

Dehydration sometimes occurs under the conditions in which the aldol addition is carried out, without additional heating. In such cases, the S-hydroxycarbonyl compound is an intermediate and the enone is the final product of the reaction. For example, the 8-hydroxyketone formed from the aldol addition of acetophenone loses water as soon as it is formed, because the double bond formed by loss of water is conjugated not only with the carbonyl group, but also with the benzene ring. Conjugation stabilizes the dehydrated product and therefore makes it relatively easy to form. 

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