p-Methoxybenzaldehyde (3.4 g., 0.025 mole) in ethanol (10 ml.) is added to a solution of levo-4-(o-chlorobenzyl)-4-phenyl-5-oxohexanoic acid (4.89 g., 0.015 mole) and sodium hydroxide (0.80 g., 0.02 mole) in water (50 ml.). The resulting mixture is heated on a steam, bath for 24 hours. The reaction solution is cooled to room temperature, acidified with dilute hydrochloric acid (10 ml.), and the sticky solid which forms after scratching is filtered and air-dried. Recrystallization from n-butyl chloride yields 3.2 g., m.p. 152°-157°C. An additional recrystallization from n-butyl chloride yields material with m.p. 159°-160.5°C.
