Lithium Hydroxide → 4-[5-benzoyl-1,4-dimethyl-1H-pyrrol-2-ylmethyl]nitrobenzene

Ethyl 2-(5-benzoyl-1,4-dimethylpyrrol-2-yl)-2-(4-nitrophenyl)acetate (8.2 g, 20.2 mmol) [prepared by proceeding as described in Example 1, Steps (a) and (b)] was dissolved in a 1:1 mixture of methanol/THF (200 ml). An aqueous solution of LiOH (250 ml, 0.4M, 100.9 mmol) was added and the mixture was stirred at 60° C. for 2 h. The organic solvents were evaporated in vacuo, the aqueous residue was acidified with 10% HCl, and the product was extracted into ethyl acetate. The organic phase was washed with water, dried over sodium sulfate, and concentrated under vacuum. Purification on a Florisil® column (hexane-ethyl acetate, 4:1) gave 4-[5-benzoyl-1,4-dimethyl-1H-pyrrol-2-ylmethyl]-nitrobenzene (6.68 g, 99%) as a yellow solid. ##STR22##