A memo said Coke tried to stop a Pepsi purchase.

The internal memo by a Coca-Cola Co. mid-level manager said the company’s effort to buy Dr Pepper was made to stir up publicity about competition in the soft-drink business and thwart government approval of Pepsico’s proposed takeover of Seven Up. But top executives at Coca-Cola disagreed with the memo, spokesman Randy Donaldson said. The memo was filed with other documents in federal court in Washington where the Federal Trade Commission is trying to block the Coca-Cola deal.