Abstract The synthesis of 3-(2?-hydroxyphenyl)-2, 3-dimethylcyclopent-ene (8) has been effected in six steps from o-iodoanisole; a key step was the conversion of (7) into (8), each being acid-sensitive, by demethylation with sodium thioethoxide in dimethyl-formamide. The reactions of (8) and its acetate (22) with several methylenating agents were examined, but no cyclopropane-containing products were obtained.