In 1966 Morgan3 reported conclusive results on the Friedelqrafts acylation of alkyl esters of phenylacetic acid with several acyl halides: a mixture of alkyl esters of acylphenylacetic acid (isomers ratio ortho/meta/para=(4-6)/(38-49)/(44-58)) was obtained, thus showing the lack of positional selectivity of the reaction. R e~ ently,~*~ it has been reported that the methyl ester of phenylacetic acid is acylated with 2-bromopropionyl chloride, in the presence of ...