Earlier, compound 2 had been prepared by heating a mixture of 1, 1-cyclohexane–diacetic acid (1) and ammonium acetate in acetic anhydride. 1 Acetic anhydride is a controlled chemical listed in the UN convention against illicit traffic in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances. 4 As a result of this convention, the availability of acetic anhydride is severely restricted and its use on an industrial scale is becoming difficult. Handley et al. had ...