alpha-Alkylation of ketones was successfully achieved by the reaction of ketones with alcohols catalyzed by iridium complexes in the presence of a small amount of base. For example, 2-octanone was allowed to react with butanol under the influence of [Ir(cod)Cl]2/PPh3/KOH to give 6-dodecanone in good yield. The reaction was found to proceed by using a 1:1 mixture of ketone and alcohol without use of any solvent.
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Taguchi et al. (2003) studied this question.
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