• Half esters of malonic acid react with ɑ?-enals in pyridine/DMAP to give ɑ? δ-dienoic esters with good (E)-selectivity: Synthesis: 534 (1988).
• Carbodiimide coupling with polymer-bound ɑ-amino acids has been used in the solid-phase synthesis of substituted tetramic acids; J. Org. Chem., 63, 4808 (1998).
• The O,ɑ-dilithio-derivative, formed with n-BuLi in THF, can be acylated with acid chlorides to give, on acidic work-up (in situ decarboxylation), ?-ketoesters directly in high yield: J. Org. Chem., 44, 310 (1979); Org. Synth. Coll., 7, 213 (1990). Similarly, alkylation of the dilithio-derivative provides a direct route to esters of substituted acetic acids: J. Org. Chem., 40, 2556 (1975).
• Reaction with alkyl chloroformates results in decarboxylation of the mixed anhydride in situ, providing a route to mixed ethyl alkyl malonates in high yield under very mild conditions: Tetrahedron Lett., 26, 1573 (1985).