The author has been engaged for some time on on the problem of the structure and mode of hydrolysis of I, and during that time has prepared model compounds related to I but in which the 3, 4-double bond of structure I was deliberately omitted. The results obtained with these suggested that, in contrast to the conclusion of McEwen and his co-workers, compound I1 should undergo normal acid hydrolysis to give benzoic acid and 1, 2, 3, 4- ...
