This compound can be obtained by two related ways: 1) The hydrolysis of 3-hydroxy-3-phenyl-1-butyne (I) with aqueous H2SO4 catalyzed by mercuric sulfate gives 3-hydroxy-3-phenyl-2-butanone (II), which is cyclized and decarboxylated by reaction with diethyl oxalate (III) and NaH in hot THF. 2) When the reaction of (II) with (III) is carried out under milder conditions 6-methyl-6-phenyltetrahydropyran-2,3,5-trione (IV) is obtained. This compound is then treated with aqueous NaOH at pH 11.