“…The residue was purified by flash chromatography (petroleum ether/ethyl acetate, 3 : 2) to obtain triketone 22 as yellowish clear oil (2.64 g, 12.5 mmol, 84 %). R f = 0.24 (petroleum ether/ethyl acetate, 2 : 1); 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl 3 ): δ (ppm) = 2.78-2.71 (m, 4H, 4-H, 6-H), 2.39 (q, J = 7.3 Hz, 2H, 4'-H), 2.33 (t, J = 7.5 Hz, 2H, 2'-H), 2.11-2.01 (m, 1H, 5-H), 2.07 (t, J = 7.5 Hz, 2H, 1'-H), 1.95-1.85 (m, 1H, 5-H), 1.24 (s, 3H, CH 3 ), 1.03 (t, J = 7.3 Hz, 3H, 11-H); 13 (8aR)-5,8a-Dimethyl-1,2,3,4,6,7,8,8a-octahydronaphthalene-1,6-dione (23). To a stirred solution of (3-oxopentyl)-cyclohexane-1,3dione 22 (1.50 g, 7.1 mmol, 1 equiv.)…”