Bicyclo [941] hexadecan-16-one is prepared from cyclododecanone via four steps: ethoxycarbonylation, condensation with 1, 4-dibromobutane, saponification, and decarboxylation. Photolysis of the bicyclic ketone yields a ketene which is trapped with methanol to afford methyl cyclopentadecanecarboxylate or alternatively oxidized to exaltone directly. The ester is also converted into exaltone via five steps. dl-Muscone is prepared by ...