A mixture of 26.3 g. (0.0758 mole) of 4-(6-bromohexyl)-3,5-heptanedione, 13.1 g. (0.0787 mole) of ethyl p-hydroxybenzoate, 31.5 g. (0.228 mole) of powdered potassium carbonate, 4 g. of potassium iodide and 500 ml. of acetone was heated at reflux for 36 hours. The reaction mixture was concentrated in vacuo and partitioned between water and methylene dichloride. The organic layer was washed successively with sodium hydroxide solution, water, hydrochloric acid, water and sodium chloride solution, and then dried over anhydrous magnesium sulfate. The solution was concentrated and the residue crystallized and recrystallized from n-pentane to give 4-[10-(4-carbethoxyphenoxy)decyl]-3,5-heptanedione, m.p. 45°-46° C.
