Chemical process for preparing 1,3-diketones

A process for the preparation of a compound having the general structural formula ##STR9## which comprises reacting a compound of the general structural formula ##STR10## with a 1,3-diketone of the general structural formula

• R.sub.5 COCH.sub.2 COR.sub.6 (II)
• and an alkyl halide of the general formula
• R.sub.7 X (III)
• in the presence of an alkali metal hydride or an alkaline earth metal hydride wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are the same or different and are hydrogen or hydrocarbyl radicals having up to at least 40 carbon atoms with the provision that at least one of R.sub.1 or R.sub.2 must be other than hydrogen, R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 are the same or different and are linear, branched or unbranched alkyl, aralkyl or cycloalkyl radicals having up to at least 20 carbon atoms, or R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 taken together form a piperidine, morpholine, or pyrrolidine ring, R.sub.5 and R.sub.6 are the same or different and are linear or branched alkyl radicals having up to at least 20 carbon atoms;
• R.sub.7 is a linear or branched monovalent alkyl radical having up to at least 20 carbon atoms and X is chlorine, bromine or iodine.