A mixture of 0.24 g (0.95 mmol) of N-(3-hydroxyphenyl)-N-(2-methoxy-2-oxoethyl)glycine methyl ester, 0.33 g (1 mmol) of oleyl bromide, 0.15 g (1 mmol) of sodium iodide and 0.41 g (3 mmol) of potassium carbonate in 10 ml of acetone was stirred at reflux under argon for 18 hours. DMF (5 ml) was added and reflux was continued for 3 days. The solvents were removed at reduced pressure and the residue was dissolved in ethyl acetate. The extract was dried and concentrated at reduced pressure to an oil which was purified by chromatography on 230-400 mesh silica gel using 25% ethyl acetate-hexane to give 0.25 g (50% yield, mp 36°-37°) of N-(2-methoxy-2-oxoethyl)-N-[3-[(Z)-(9-octadecenyl)oxy]phenyl]glycine methyl ester. The nmr and spectra were consistent with the structure.
