The first student recognizes this as the first step of the acetoacetic ester synthesis. he treats the starting material with sodium methoxide followed by methyl iodide. he isolates compound a, but 1h nmr analysis shows this is not the desired material. elemental analysis shows it has the same molecular formula as the 2-methyl-3-oxobutanoic acid. what is compound a?

The first student treats the starting material which is the 3-oxobutanoic acid with sodium methoxide which is followed by methyl iodide and form compound A. Analysis 1HNMR it shows that this is not the desired material.
Compound A has same 2-methyl-3- oxobutanoate acid as molecular formula.

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