Abstract
In 1940, Niederi and Roth reported that both the diethyl monophenoxy- and diphenoxymalonates were formed in the reaction of diethyl bromomalonate with sodium phenoxide. The reaction has been investigated in an attempt to establish its mechanism. The purpose of this study was to (1) further examine the reaction of diethyl bromomalonate and sodium phenoxide, (2) investigate the behavior of the bromo- ester toward ethoxide ion, and (3) study the reactions of diethyl chloromalonate with phenoxide and ethoxide ions.