Aggregation and reactivity of the cesium enolate of p-phenylisobutyrophenone in tetrahydrofuran

Ultraviolet spectral analysis of the cesium enolate of p-phenylisobutyrophenone in tetrahydrofuran (THF) reveals that the spectrum varies with the concentration of the solution. Singular value determinations over a wide range of concentration show that more dilute solutions have longer wavelength maxima. Further investigations also reveal that ion pair monomers are the dominant species in alkylation reactions of cesium enolates in THF.