Since this experiment indicated that the double bond in I would not readily shift to the a,@- position, it seemed advisable to employ as starting material a compound in which the double bond was fixed in the desired position. Accordingly sodiomalonic ester was condensed with the lactone of y-hydroxy-y, y-diphenylcrotonic acid 111," to yield the lactone of 8-( whydroxybenzohydry1)-glutaric acid, IV. The same end-product was obtained if j3-bromo- ...