Patent ID: 7393982

Claim:
A process for preparing a β-diketone compound represented by the following formula (3), comprising a step 1 of reacting an ester compound represented by the following formula (1) with a ketone compound represented by the following formula (2) in the presence of an alkali metal alkoxide catalyst, in at least one solvent selected from liquid amide having no hydrogen at the α-position relative to the carbonyl group and liquid urea having no hydrogen at the α-position relative to the carbonyl group, CR 1 R 2 R 3 COOQ (1) wherein R 1 to R 3 are each independently hydrogen or an alkyl group of 1 to 3 carbon atoms, and Q is an alkyl group, CR 4 R 5 R 6 COCH 2 R 7 (2) wherein R 4 to R 6 are each independently hydrogen or an alkyl group of 1 to 3 carbon atoms, and R 7 is hydrogen or an alkyl group of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, CR 1 R 2 R 3 COCHR 7 COCR 4 R 5 R 6 (3) wherein R 1 to R 7 have the same meanings as defined above and at least one of R 1 to R 6 is hydrogen.