be synthesized by a procedure described in org synth vol 40 page 27 the preparation of other lower alkyl esters by analogous methods will be obvious to one of average skill in the art the general procedure for the synthesis of tricarbo lower alkoxy methanes has been outlined hereinabove the borane dimethyl sulfide adduct is commercially available wherein r is as defined hereinabove they may if desired be formulated with pharmaceutically acceptable carriers in accordance with methods well known in the art the peripheral vasodilation activity of these compounds may be demonstrated by the method set forth by parker et al in the european journal of pharmacology vol 31 pp 29 37 1975 one skilled in the art will recognize that in addition to acetone illustrated as a hydroxy group protecting agent for the hydroxyl groups on di ethyl bis hydroxymethyl malonate many other standard hydroxyl protecting groups may be employed in that synthetic scheme among these are dihydropyran for the formation of tetrahydropyanyl ethers and tri lower alkyl silyl halides for the formation of tri lower alkyl silyl esters similarly the partial hydrolysis of the hydroxyl protected malonic diester to produce the decarboxylated half ester may be accomplished by any known ester hydrolysis reagent one skilled in the art will of course adjust the conditions according to the hydroxyl protecting group similarly the reduction of the remaining ester group to an.