Alkyl 1,1-dialkoxy-alkane- and -arene-carboxylates. Part IV 1-alkoxyalkyl carboxylates

Aldehydes can be converted into 1-alkoxyalkyl carboxylates under mild conditions by reaction with dialkoxymethyl carboxylates in the presence of carboxylic acids. A mechanism has been proposed to explain the appearance of orthoformate during the reaction, and the accelerating effect of this compound on the formation of 1-alkoxyalkyl carboxylates. Thermostable 1-alkoxyalkyl carboxylates can be prepared also from acetals and carboxylic acids though in low yields. Higher homologues were obtained from the 1-alkoxyalkyl acetates by exchange of the acid group in a distillation procedure. In a similar way formates were obtained from butyrates and the formic acid/triethylammonium formate azeotrope.