Reactions of carbonyl compounds in basic solutions. Part 36: The base‐catalysed reactions of 1,2‐dicarbonyl compounds

1,2-Dicarbonyl compounds can undergo base-catalysed reactions in three ways: rearrangement of the benzil–benzilic acid type, fission of the carbon–carbonyl carbon bond and fission of the carbonyl carbon–carbonyl carbon bond. The requirements for the observation of the variant reaction types are discussed both for open-chain and for ring systems in terms of electronic and stereochemical factors. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.