Double deprotonation of either (E, E)-3-methyl-2, 4-hexadienoic acid 2, or 4, 6- dimethyldihydro-2-pyrone 3 generates apparently the same lithium trienediolate, which affords ω-hydroxy acids 9 on reaction with ketones 7. Hydroxy acids 9 are easily dehydrated to octatrienoic acids 5, which are structurally related to retinoic acid. Similarly, sorbic acid 1 leads to nor-retinoic acid analogs 6.