Abstract
The condensation of N‐methyl‐α‐piperidol (I), which we consider to be a cyclic tautomer of 5‐methylaminopentanal (II), with benzoylacetic acid is reported to give α‐phenacyl‐N‐methylpiperidine (“Sedamine‐ketone”, IVa) in yields up to 50% depending on the pH of the reaction mixture.