Provide an example of the ester and acid in the Malonic ester synthesis.

The ester and acid in the Malonic ester synthesis are diethyl malonate and a strong base.

The Malonic ester synthesis is a useful method for synthesizing carboxylic acids. It involves the reaction of diethyl malonate with a strong base, such as sodium ethoxide or sodium hydride. The base deprotonates the diethyl malonate, forming a negatively charged intermediate. This intermediate can then undergo nucleophilic substitution with an alkyl halide or other electrophile, resulting in the addition of an alkyl group to the malonic ester.

The addition of the alkyl group is followed by hydrolysis, which removes the ester groups and replaces them with carboxylic acid groups. The final product is a substituted carboxylic acid. The Malonic ester synthesis is particularly useful for synthesizing dicarboxylic acids, as the intermediate can undergo a second nucleophilic substitution to add a second alkyl group.

In summary, the ester in the Malonic ester synthesis is diethyl malonate, and the acid is the carboxylic acid that is formed after hydrolysis. The reaction is typically carried out with a strong base, which deprotonates the diethyl malonate and allows for nucleophilic substitution with an electrophile. The Malonic ester synthesis is a versatile method for synthesizing carboxylic acids, particularly dicarboxylic acids.

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