A process for preparing an alkyl phenylglycolic acid is disclosed. It follows the sequence of condensing a substituted acetaldehyde with mandelic acid to provide a 5-phenyl-1,3-dioxolan-4-one, which is condensed with an alkyl ketone or aldehyde to provide a 5-(1-hydroxyalkyl)-5-phenyl-1,3-dioxolan-4-one, which is dehydrated to a 5-(1-alkenyl)-5-phenyl-1,3-dioxolan-4-one. The 5-(1-alkenyl)-5-phenyl-1,3-dioxolan-4-one may be hydrolyzed and reduced to an .alpha.-alkylphenylglycolic acid or the hydrolysis and reduction steps may be reversed. The process enables the production of single enantiomers of cyclohexylphenylglycolic acid (CHPGA). An analogous process for racemic CHPGA is disclosed employing racemic mandelic acid and acetone. Novel intermediates in the process are also disclosed.