A quarternary ammonium hydroxide type of anion exchange resin, Amberlite IRA-400 (0H-j, was found to be an effective catalyst for the alkylation of ethyl malonate, ethyl cyanoacetate, or cyanoacetamide with various alkyl halides. It was found that the resin (OH-) rapidly exchanges its labile hydroxyl ion with the enolate of the active methylene compound even in aqueous solution producing the resin (R-) which could subsequently react with alkyl ...
