To a solution of 2′-fluoro-4-hydroxy-5′-methoxybiphenyl-2-yl trifluoromethanesulfonate (1.30 g) in THF (30 mL) were added ethyl 3-cyclopropyl-3-(3-(hydroxymethyl)phenyl)propanoate (1.02 g), triphenylphosphine (1.87 g) and a 40% solution of diethyl azodicarboxylate in toluene (3.2 mL), and the mixture was stirred at room temperature for 1 hr. Water was added to the reaction mixture, and the mixture was extracted with ethyl acetate. The extract was washed with saturated brine and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. The solvent was evaporated under reduced pressure, and the residue was purified by silica gel column chromatography (ethyl acetate/hexane) to give the title compound (1.71 g) as a colorless oil.
