Ethyl 2-[4-(1-ethoxycarbonyl-2-oxocyclohexan-1-ylmethyl)phenyl]propionate → 2-(4-((2-Oxocyclohexyl)methyl)phenyl)propanoic acid

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Thirteen grams of ethyl 2-[4-(1-ethoxycarbonyl-2-oxocyclohexan-1-ylmethyl)phenyl]propionate was dissolved in 200 ml of 80% ethanol containing 5 g of potassium hydroxide and the solution was refluxed for 2 hours. Ethanol was removed by distillation from the reaction mixture, 100 ml of water was added to the residue and the mixture was extracted with ether. The aqueous layer was heated at 50°-60° C. with stirring for 1 hour after addition of 100 ml of conc. hydrochloric acid, extracted with ether, the extract was washed with water, dried and the solvent removed by distillation to give an yellow oily substance, which was chromatographed on a column of silica gel affording a colorless oily substance from an eluate with a mixture of benzene:ethyl acetate = 5:1. The substance was subjected to a vacuum distillation to give 4.1 g of the desired compound as a colorless oily substance, b.p. 190°-195° C. at 0.4 mm Hg (bath temp.). The compound solidified as it was cooled to crystals, m.p. 84°-86° C.

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