Abstract: A ketal ester of an oxocarboxylic acid and a process to make the same, where the ketal ester is of Structure (I): wherein a is 0 or an integer from 1 to 12; n is 0 or 1; R1 is a linear alkyl, aryl, arylalkylene, or branched alkyl group with 1-18 carbon atoms; R2 and R5 can be hydrogen, C1-6 straight chain or branched alkyl, phenyl, substituted phenyl, C1-6 alkyl substituted with up to four OH groups, C1-6 alkyl, or acetyl optionally substituted hydrocarbon radicals, or R2 and R4 together with the ?-carbon form a cycloaliphatic or heterocyclic ring with 3-6 carbon atoms and 0-3 heteroatoms, provided that only one of R2 and R5 is hydrogen; R3 is a linear alkyl or branched alkyl group with 1-18 carbon atoms; and R4 is hydrogen, or an alkyl, aryl, aralkyl or branched alkyl group with 1-10 carbon atoms.

Abstract: A ketal ester of an oxocarboxylic acid and a process to make the same, where the ketal ester is of Structure (I): wherein a is 0 or an integer from 1 to 12; n is 0 or 1; R1 is a linear alkyl, aryl, arylalkylene, or branched alkyl group with 1-18 carbon atoms; R2 and R5 can be hydrogen, C1-6 straight chain or branched alkyl, phenyl, substituted phenyl, C1-6 alkyl substituted with up to four OH groups, C1-6 alkyl, or acetyl optionally substituted hydrocarbon radicals, or R2 and R4 together with the ?-carbon form a cycloaliphatic or heterocyclic ring with 3-6 carbon atoms and 0-3 heteroatoms, provided that only one of R2 and R5 is hydrogen; R3 is a linear alkyl or branched alkyl group with 1-18 carbon atoms; and R4 is hydrogen, or an alkyl, aryl, aralkyl or branched alkyl group with 1-10 carbon atoms.