A 5 N aqueous sodium hydroxide solution (200 mL) was added to a solution of (1-trityl-1H-imidazol-4-yl)acetonitrile (33 g) in methanol (100 mL), and the mixture was heated to reflux for 4 hours. To this reaction solution, water and methylene chloride were added, and the mixture was neutralized with a 1 N aqueous hydrochloric acid solution. Methanol was added thereto until insoluble matter was dissolved, and the organic layer was then separated. The aqueous layer was further subjected to extraction three times with a methylene chloride:methanol (9:1) mixed solvent, and the extracts were combined with the foregoing separated organic layer and dried over anhydrous magnesium sulfate. The solvent was distilled off under reduced pressure, and the obtained white solid was washed with a hexane-diisopropyl ether mixed solvent. The solid was dried under reduced pressure to obtain the title compound (34 g).
