3-Ethoxy-2-cyclohexen-1-one is a useful intermediate for the preparation of 3-alkyl- or aryl-2-cyclohexen-1-ones, by addition of organometallic reagents and subsequent hydrolysis. It helps in kinetic enolate formation (LDA) and alkylation occurs at the 6-position, the Stork-Danheiser kinetic alkylation procedure, which has found extensive use in alicyclic synthesis.