The cyclohexanone derivatives 1–6 containing β-ketoester and α-disubstituted malonic ester moieties in the same molecule were found to undergo regioselective transesterifications with benzyl alcohol giving exclusively β-keto benzyl esters. On the contrary, the acyclic derivatives 9, 10 containing β-ketoester and α-monosubstituted malonic ester groups gave mixtures of transesterified products under the same reaction conditions
