VI VI11 both for the practical reason of its availability, and for the less tangible reasons that the methyl groups would stabilize the anticipated carbonium ion, while the possibility of stabilization by the hydroxyl group provided added opportunity for speculation. Of the several routes available for the preparation of 3-hydroxy-2, 4-dimethylcyclobutenone (X), a suitable precursor to bromoketone IX, 12-14 the one described by Woodward and Small ...
