| abstract |
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Pharmaceutically useful optically active .alpha.-arylalkanoic acids or esters, ortho esters, or amides thereof are stereoselectively prepared by contacting an aryl magnesium Grignard reagent with an optically active a-substituted acyl halide to form the optically active aryl .alpha.-substituted alkyl ketone, which is ketalized and rearranged to the desired optically active .alpha.-arylalkanoic acid or the corresponding ester, ortho ester or amide. In an alternate embodiment, the aryl .alpha.-substituted alkyl ketone is reduced to the corresponding alkanol, which is rearranged to the .alpha.-arylalkanal. The alkanal so produced is converted to the desired optically active .alpha.-arylalkanoic acid by conventional methods. |