Friedel-Crafts acylation of 2,3-dichlorophenetole with 4-methoxybenzoyl chloride gives the substituted benzophenone (I). Selective cleavage of the ethyl ether in (I) with AlCl3 produces phenol (II). Alkylation of (II) with ethyl bromoacetate is followed by heating with 48% HBr to give the phenoxyacetic acid derivative (III). Amidomethylation of (III) using the Tscherniac-Einhorn procedure gives (IV), which affords A-49816 after hydrolysis with HCl/EtOH.