The utilization of phenylvinylketone(Ⅷ) or ρ-nitrophenylvinylketone (Ⅵ)^[1] as starting material for the preparation of chloramphenicol has been described.By employing the reaction of methoxymercuration^[2],both Ⅷ and Ⅵ reacted smoothly with mercury acetate in methanol and followed by successive treatment with potassium bromide and bromine to give α-bromo-β-methoxy propiophenone(ⅩⅣ,b.p.110-120°/1 mm),which had been prepared by Rebstock^[3] in impure form from α-bromo-β-methoxypropionyl chloride and benzene through Friedel-Crafts reaction; or α-bromo-β-methoxy-ρ-nitropropio-phenone(Ⅸ,m.p.41-42.5°).