Tripivaloylmethane [systematic name: 4-(2,2-dimethylpropanoyl)-2,2,6,6-tetramethylheptane-3,5-dione], C(16)H(28)O(3), is a 1,3,3'-triketone with C(3) molecular symmetry, prepared by alpha-acylation of 2,2,6,6-tetramethylheptane-3,5-dione with 2,2-dimethylpropanoyl anhydride in the presence of barium metal. The molecules are conformationally chiral and pack so that each molecular site is occupied with equal probability by the two enantiomers. The carbonyl groups of the two superimposed enantiomeric molecules are at an angle of 75.4 (16) degrees .