A mixture of 1-(5-fluoro-2-nitro-phenylmethanesulfonyl)-naphthalene (14.6 g, 42.3 mmol) and ethylene glycol (35 mL, 630 mmol) in 1.0 N potassium tert-butoxide in THF (90 mL, 90 mmol) was refluxed under nitrogen for one hour. After cooling to ambient temperature, the reaction mixture was concentrated. Excess water was added to the residue, and the mixture was poured into ice/2N hydrochloric acid. It was extracted with ethyl acetate and washed with water and brine. It was then dried with anhydrous magnesium sulfate, filtered, concentrated and dried in vacuo at 80° C. for 25 minutes to yield 2-[3-(naphthalene-1-sulfonylmethyl)-4-nitro-phenoxy]-ethanol as a brown gum (14.3 g, 87.2%). Mass Spectrum (−EI, [M−H]−) m/z 386. 1HNMR (500 MHz, DMSO-d6): δ8.56-8.57 (m, 1H), 8.35 (d, 1H, J=8.24 Hz), 8.14-8.15 (m, 1H), 8.00-8.02 (m, 2H), 7.65-7.75 (m, 3H), 7.11-7.13 (m, 1H), 6.89 (d, 1H, J=2.90 Hz), 5.27 (s, 2H), 4.92 (t, 1H, J=5.49 Hz), 3.93-3.95 (m, 2H), 3.67 ppm (dd, 2H, J=9.91 Hz and 5.34 Hz). Elemental Analysis for C19H17NO6S.0.25 mol H2O: Calcd: C, 58.23; H, 4.50; N, 3.57; Found: C, 57.83; H, 4.25; N, 3.50.
