[Jendy94]

I'm currently struggling with a past paper exam question revising for my organic final:

Provide a synthesis of compound P from substrate O and any other suitable reagents (more than one step is required), giving mechanisms to support your answer. (5 marks) on the file attached.

The only sensible options I can think of are deprotonation α to the carbonyl and ester to give an enolate followed by a nucleophilic addition. This doesn't really feel like it's what the question is asking for though, any suggestions?

[Babcock_Hall]

You will still need to install the other functional group.  I would work retrosynthetically.

[kriggy]

The only sensible options I can think of are deprotonation α to the carbonyl and ester to give an enolate followed by a nucleophilic addition. This doesn't really feel like it's what the question is asking for though, any suggestions?

Why this doesnt feel like the aswer? It feels like a very reasonable way how to make the compound.