Ethyl 8-chlorocarbonyl-12-acetoxyheptadecanoate (Example 7, Step D) (14.0 g., 0.0335 mole) is added all at once to a solution of sodium borohydride (2.7 g., 0.07 mole) in dry diglyme (75 ml.). An exothermic reaction occurs with foaming and a rise in temperature to 55°. After 2 hours, the reaction mixture is cooled in an ice bath and 10% hydrochloric acid is added dropwise until the mixture is acidic to Congo Red. Water (250 ml.) is then added; the oily product is extracted into ether, washed with water, and dried over sodium sulfate. The ether is evaporated to leave 12.2 g. of 8-hydroxymethyl-12-acetoxyheptadecanoate as a yellow oil. The product is used in the next step without further purification.
