text: mechanism of the reaction of 3-oxobutanal with acidic methanol?   first of all, how do u make acidic methanol.  3-oxobutanal:- is that a butane with double bond in the thid position or an oxygen in the 3rd position?  o-ch2-ch=ch-ch3 + ch3-ch2-oh -> ch3-ch=ch-ch2-0-0-h-ch2-ch3  under high temperatures and pressures i guess.