Which of the following compounds would not be expected to decarboxylate when heated?

Step-by-step solution

Decarboxylation of carboxylic acids upon heating typically requires the presence of a carbonyl group at the -position relative to the carboxyl group. This allows for the formation of a stable six-membered cyclic transition state involving the transfer of the carboxylic acid proton to the -carbonyl oxygen, followed by the loss of carbon dioxide to form an enol, which then tautomerizes to a ketone. Analyzing the given structures: 1. The first structure is 3-oxobutanoic acid (acetoacetic acid), which has a -keto group