The lactone IIa was formed in much better yield (61%) by treatment of Ia with methylmagnesium bromide8 than by treatment of methyl and i-propyl o-acetylbenzoates with l-naphthylmagnesium bromide (24 and O%, respectively). The other lactones-IIb and IIc- were formed similarly from Ib and IC in 56 and 79% yields. In the reduction of the lactones, ITa, b, and c, to the acids, IIIa, b, and c, better yields (near 90%) were obtained using zinc ...