Approaches to the synthesis of compounds related to the 7-aryl-7-[3-(1-hydroxy-2- aminophenyl)]-9-methylamino-5, 6-dioxononanoic acid moiety (3) of the alkaloid haplophytine and its dihydrobromide are described. Treatment of the dianion of phenyl (o- pivaloylamidophenyl) methane with 2-furancarboxaldehyde followed by oxidation of the resulting alcohol gives 1-(2-furanyl)-2-phenyl-2-(2-pivaloylamidophenyl) ethanone (14). ...
