Diethyl succinate is the diethyl ester of succinate.
It is a colorless liquid with the formula (CH2CO2Et)2 (Et = ethyl). The organic molecule contains two ester groups. This ester is a versatile chemical intermediate. A colorless liquid, diethyl succinate is formed by Fischer esterification of succinic acid and ethanol.
Reactions
Being a diester, diethyl succinate is a particularly versatile building block. It participates in acyloin condensation to give 2-hydroxycyclobutanone.[1] Via condensation with oxalate esters, it serves as a precursor to ketoglutaric acid.[2] It is a reagent in the Stobbe condensation.

References
- ^ Bloomfield, Jordan J.; Nelke, Janice M. (1977). "Acyloin Condensation in Which Chlorotrimethylsilane is Used as a Trapping Agent: 1,2-Bis(Trimethylsilyloxy)Cyclobutene and 2-Hydroxycyclobutanone". Organic Syntheses. 57: 1. doi:10.15227/orgsyn.057.0001.
- ^ Bottorff, E. M.; Moore, L. L. (1964). "α-Ketoglutaric Acid". Organic Syntheses. 44: 67. doi:10.15227/orgsyn.044.0067.
- ^ Hunger, K.; Herbst, W. (2012). "Pigments, Organic". Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry. Weinheim: Wiley-VCH. doi:10.1002/14356007.a20_371. ISBN 978-3-527-30673-2.(subscription required)