The chiral ant alarm pheromone (S)-(3) and many similar ketones have been synthesized as the almost pure enantiomers from achiral precursors such as (1). After lithiation, the hydrozone (S)-(2) is treated with n-C3H7I; the resulting hydrazone is cleaved to give the α-alkylated ketone (S)-(3).
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Enders et al. (1979) studied this question.
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