DIBENZYL MALONATE can be prepared by esterification of phenylethanol and maleic anhydride in the presence of an acid or base catalyst.
Dibenzyl malonate was used in the preparation of tetraethyl 3,3-bis(benzyloxycarbonyl)propylene bisphosphonate. It was also used in the preparation of benzyl umbelliferone-3-carboxylate via Knoevenagel condensation with 2,4-dihydroxybezaldehyde.
Direct asymmetric reaction of dibenzyl malonate with N-tert-butoxycarbonyl aldimines in the presence of Yb(OTf)3 and iPr-pybox (pybox = pyridine bisoxazoline) complexes has been investigated.
Dissolve the ester in toluene, wash it with aqueous NaHCO3, H2O, dry over MgSO4, filter, evaporate and distil it at high vacuum. [Ginsburg & Pappo J Am Chem Soc 75 1094 1953, Baker et al. J Org Chem 17 77 1952, Beilstein 6 IV 2270.]
