A mixture of (+)-6,7-dichloro-2-cyclopentyl-2,3-dihydro-5-hydroxy-2-methyl-1H-inden-1-one (25.05 g, 0.0837 mole) and potassium carbonate (35.4 g. 0.256 mole) in dimethylformamide (100 ml.) is stirred at 25° C. for 1 hour, cooled to 0° C. then treated with trifluoromethanesulfonyl chloride (10.5 ml., 0.984 mole) over a 3 minute period. The reaction mixture is stirred at 25° C. for 1 hour, poured into ice water (700 ml.) extracted with ether, washed with water and brine and dried over MgSO4. The ether is evaporated at reduced pressure to give 34.2 g of (+) (+)-(6,7-dichloro-2-cyclopentyl-2,3-dihydro-2-methyl-1-oxo-1H-inden-5-yl) trifluoromethanesulfonate which melts at 104°-6° C. and is used in Step B without further purification.
