The acetate-catalyzed epimerization of 1,1,1-trichloro-2-hydroxy-3-methyl-4-hexanone has been studied in glacial acetic acid as solvent at five different temperatures. The reaction follows pseudo first-order, reversible kinetics and is associated with an activation energy of 24.0 ± 0.4 kcal/mol. Rate and product studies have shown that epimerization occurs by an enolization–ketonization pathway rather than dehydration–rehydration or retroaldol–aldolization. The ratio of diastereomeric ketols formed by condensation of 2-pentanone and 2-heptanone with chloral does not change as a function of time while the stereochemistry of the chloral addition to cyclohexanone is kinetically controlled during the initial reaction period.