On the photochemical behaviour of ethyl acetoacetate in water

Irradiation of ethyl acetoacetate in water yielded acetic acid, ethyl acetate, acetonylacetone and diethyl succinate. The possible route of their formation is the recombination of the radicals resulting from the cleavage of the bonds between α-β and β-γ carbon atoms of the β-keto ester and/or their interaction with the solvent.