The title compound, C27H25NO4. is the minor product of the Wittig reac
tion of Q-N-triphenylmethylaspartic anhydride with the stabilized ylid
e Ph3P=C(Me)CO2Me. The crystal structure determination unambiguously s
hows that this product is not the originally proposed Z isomer of the
major product xycarbonyl-2-triphenylmethylaminohex-4-en-4-olide, but t
he alternative alpha-adduct, also with an E configuration at the C4=C5
double bond.