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An example of the ester and ketone in the Claisen condensation is ethyl acetate and ethyl propionate.
The Claisen condensation is a reaction between two esters or an ester and a ketone, resulting in the formation of a β-ketoester or a β-diketone. In this reaction, the carbonyl group of one molecule acts as a nucleophile and attacks the α-carbon of another molecule, forming a new carbon-carbon bond and eliminating a leaving group, usually an alkoxide ion.
One example of the Claisen condensation involves the reaction between ethyl acetate and ethyl propionate. Ethyl acetate has a carbonyl group at the α-carbon and an ethyl group at the β-carbon, while ethyl propionate has a carbonyl group at the β-carbon and an ethyl group at the α-carbon. When these two molecules react in the presence of a strong base, such as sodium ethoxide, the carbonyl group of ethyl acetate attacks the α-carbon of ethyl propionate, forming a new carbon-carbon bond and eliminating ethoxide ion. The resulting product is β-ketoester, ethyl 3-oxobutanoate.
Overall, the Claisen condensation is an important reaction in organic chemistry for the synthesis of β-ketoesters and β-diketones, which are versatile building blocks for the preparation of various organic compounds.
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