A mixture of (RS)-1-chloro-3-[4-(benzyloxy)phenoxy]-2-propanol (1.0 g, 3.4 mmol), 4-(4-methyl-benzyl)-piperidin-4-ol (0.70 g, 3.4 mmol) and potassium carbonate (0.50 g, 3.6 mmol) in 2-butanone was refluxed for 2 days. It was cooled to room temperature, 50 ml of H2O were added and the organic phase was separated. The water phase was extracted two times with ethyl acetate. The organic phases were then pooled, dried with Na2SO4 and the solvent evaporated. The residue was chromatographed over silica gel (CH2Cl2 --MeOH, 98:2) to give (RS)-1-[3-(4-benzyloxy-phenoxy)-2-hydroxy-propyl]-4-(4-methyl-benzyl)-piperidin-4-ol as a colorless solid (0.75 g, 48%). MS: m/e=462.5 (M+H+)
