Summary a-Nitrocycloalkanones substituted in a-position by a functionalized alkyl resid uc underwent ring opening to the corresponding chain derivatives by intermolecular nucleophilic attack; w-nitroalkanoates substituted in w-position were obtained (Scheme I). The so formed methyl 6-nitro-9-oxodecanoate (3) was used to prepare methyl 8-(2-methyl-l, 3-dioxolan-2-y1) octanoate (lS), an intermediate in the synthesis of the sex pheromone of ...