A solution of 60.3 mg of crude 4-cyano-1-(2-trimethylsilanyl-ethoxymethyl)-1H-imidazole-2-carboxylic acid {2-(4,4-dimethyl-cyclohex-1-enyl)-4-[2-(morpholine-4-sulfonyl)-ethyl]-phenyl}-amide (as prepared in the previous step) in CH2Cl2 (5 mL) was treated with EtOH (2 drops) and TFA (1 mL) and stirred at RT for 1.5 h. Solvents were evaporated in vacuo, and the residue was purified by RP-HPLC (C18) with 20-100% CH3CN in 0.1% TFA/H2O over 30 min to afford 11.2 mg (20% over three steps) of the title compound as a white solid: 1H-NMR (CD3OD; 400 MHz): δ 8.16 (d, 1H, J=8.4 Hz), 7.91 (s, 1H), 7.21 (dd, 1H, J=8.4, 2.4 Hz), 5.76-5.71 (m, 1H), 3.71-3.65 (m, 4H), 3.50-3.46 (m, 1H), 3.26-3.20 (m, 4H), 3.14-3.11 (m, 1H), 3.10-3.04 (m, 2H), 3.35-2.27 (m, 2H), 2.10-2.05 (m, 2H), 1.59 (t, 2H, J=6.4 Hz), 1.08 (s, 6H). Mass spectrum (ESI, m/z): Calcd. for C25H31N5O4S, 498.2 (M+H). found 498.0.
