Phenylacetyl chloride → N'-t-butyl-N-benzoyl-N'-phenylacetylhydrazine

N'-t-butyl-N-benzoylhydrazine (2 g) was stirred in toluene (35 ml) and 50% aqueous sodium hydroxide (1 g) at 5° C. Phenylacetylchloride (1.5 g) was added slowly, dropwise to the reaction mixture, warmed to room temperature and stirred 1 hour. The reaction mixture was diluted with hexane (50 ml) and filtered off to yield a solid product. The filter cake was washed with hexane and water and allowed to air dry. The white solid product obtained in 90% yield melted at 167°-169° C.