Benzylacetophenone (CAS NO.: ), which is known as , β-phenyl-, could be produced through the following synthetic routes.

A solution of 20.8 g. (0.1 mole) of benzalacetophenone (p. 78) in 150 cc. of c.p. ethyl acetate is placed in the reaction bottle of the catalytic reduction apparatus (p. 61), and 0.2 g. of platinum oxide catalyst (p. 463) is added. The apparatus is evacuated, then filled with hydrogen, and the mixture shaken with hydrogen until 0.1 mole has been absorbed. The time required is usually about fifteen to twenty-five minutes. The platinum is filtered off and the solvent removed from the filtrate by distillation. The benzylacetophenone is recrystallized from about 25 cc. of alcohol and melts at 72–73°. The yield is 17–20 g. (81–95 per cent of the theoretical amount).