{"knowledge_schema": {"broad_category": "Chemistry \u2192 Organic Chemistry \u2192 Reaction Mechanisms", "refinement": "This problem specifically deals with the Michael addition reaction, which is a type of nucleophilic addition reaction involving a conjugate addition to an \u03b1,\u03b2-unsaturated carbonyl compound.", "specific_scope": "The focus is on identifying the reactants (ethyl acetoacetate and (E)-3-phenylprop-2-enal) and determining the major product formed after the reaction with a base (NaOMe) in methanol (MeOH).", "goal": "To identify the correct structure of the major product formed from the Michael addition reaction of the given reactants."}, "summary": "In this problem, we are examining a Michael addition reaction involving ethyl acetoacetate and (E)-3-phenylprop-2-enal, catalyzed by sodium methoxide in methanol. The goal is to determine the major product of this reaction. The correct answer is that the major product is ethyl 3-(3-phenylpropyl)-3-oxobutanoate, which results from the addition of the nucleophile (ethyl acetoacetate) to the electrophile ((E)-3-phenylprop-2-enal) at the \u03b2-carbon position."}