0.1 mol of 4-hexyloxybenzoic acid, 0.01 mol of dimethylaminopyridine and 0.1 mol of 2,3-difluoro-4octyloxyphenol (preparable from 2,3-difluorooctyloxybenzene by lithiation at -70° to -80° and dropwise addition of a solution of lithium t-butylperoxide in ether prepared from 0.12 mol of t-butyl hydroperoxide and 0.12 mol of butyllithium) are introduced into 150 ml of dichloromethane, a solution of 0.1 mol of dicyclohexylcarbodiimide in 30 ml of dichloromethane is added dropwise with stirring at 10o, and the mixture is subsequently stirred at room temperature for 15 hours. The mixture is filtered through silica gel, the solvent is evaporated, and 2,3-difluoro-4-octyloxyphenyl 4-hexyloxybenzoate is obtained as the residue.
