Structural effects in the chiral base and the influence of some key reaction parameters (catalyst type and solvent) in the Pd-induced enantioselective decarboxylation (cascade reaction) of three different α,α-disubstituted benzyl β-ketoesters were explored. The reaction intermediate after debenzylation (β-keto-carboxylic acid) was synthesized and its decarboxylation studied independently. The highest