A 0.5 M solution of 4-phenoxy-phenylmagnesium bromide in tetrahydrofuran (30 mL, 15 mmol) was introduced into a flame-dried flask placed under an argon atmosphere. A solution of 1-benzyl-4-piperidone (2.84 g, 15 mmol) in dry tetrahydrofuran (12 mL) was then added dropwise, while the temperature was maintained at less than 20° C. with an ice bath. After completion of the addition, the mixture was allowed to reach room temperature and further stirred for 2 hr. Ice was then added to the mixture, and 1 N HCl was added until the resulting precipitate was completely dissolved. The reaction was then diluted with diethyl ether (100 mL) and washed with water (50 mL). The aqueous layer was extracted with diethyl ether (2×50 mL), and the combined organic layers were sequentially washed with saturated aqueous sodium hydrogencarbonate (2×50 mL) and water (50 mL), dried over magnesium sulfate, filtered, and concentrated under vacuum. The crude product was purified by column chromatography on silica gel (dichloromethane and then diethyl ether). The desired product was then isolated as a colorless solid (1.74 g, 33% yield).
