0.49 ml (3.50 mmol) of diisopropylamine in 10 ml of tetrahydrofuran are stirred with 2.20 ml (3.50 mmol) of a 1.6-molar n-butyllithium solution in hexane at 0° C. for one hour. After cooling to -78° C., 0.94 g (2.90 mmol) of 2-fluoro-6-[4-(trans-4-pentylcyclohexyl)phenyl]pyridine in 120 ml of tetrahydrofuran is added dropwise, and the mixture is stirred at -78° C. for 4 hours. 1.31 g (6.96 mmol) of triisopropyl borate are then added dropwise at -78° C., and the reaction mixture is stirred overnight, during which it warms to room temperature. Addition of 4.40 ml of 10% hydrochloric acid and one hour of stirring at room temperature is followed by addition of sodium chloride solution, extraction with ether, washing of the ether phase with sodium chloride solution, drying over sodium sulfate, filtration and concentration. The residue is taken up in 50 ml of tetrahydrofuran, and the resulting mixture is refluxed together with 8.80 ml of a 17.5% hydrogen peroxide solution for 4 hours. After addition of sodium chloride solution, extraction with ether, washing of the organic phase with sodium sulfite solution and sodium chloride solution, drying over sodium sulfate, filtration, evaporation to dryness and purification of the residue by chromatography (silica gel, 9:1 hexane/ethyl acetate), 0.31 g of 2-fluoro-3-hydroxy-6-[4-(trans-4-pentylcyclohexyl)phenyl]pyridine is obtained. ##STR51##
