β-Keto ester

Definition

A β-keto ester is an organic compound containing a ketone functional group (carbonyl) and an ester group, where the carbonyl carbon is positioned two carbons away from the ester oxygen. This structure makes the hydrogen atoms on the carbon between the carbonyl and ester groups (alpha hydrogens) particularly acidic, facilitating their removal and formation of enolate ions.

Related terms

Enolate Ion: An ion formed by the deprotonation of an alpha hydrogen atom in carbonyl compounds, resulting in a negatively charged oxygen atom adjacent to a carbon-carbon double bond.

Acidity: The measure of how easily a compound donates protons; in the context of α-hydrogen atoms in β-keto esters, it refers to their readiness to be removed as protons.

Carbonyl Group: A functional group consisting of a carbon atom double-bonded to an oxygen atom (C=O), central to many organic compounds including ketones and aldehydes