To a suspension of 1.0 g (4.9 mmol) 8-hydroxy-6-methoxymethyl-2,3-dimethyl-imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine and 1.3 g (9.7 mmol) 1,2-epoxyindane in 12 ml methanol and 3 ml water are added 1.4 ml triethylamine and the mixture is heated to 50° C. for 24 h. After cooling down, the reaction mixture is poured into 100 ml saturated aqueous ammonium chloride and extracted with dichloromethane. The organic phase is dried over anhydrous magnesium sulphate and evaporated. Purification of the residue by column chromatography on silica gel using dichloromethane:methanol (20:1) yields 0.7 g (45%) of the title compound as a colourless solid (m.p. 142-143° C.).
