To a solution of 4-[4-(4-fluorophenyl)-5-(4-pyridyl)-1H-imidazol-2-yl]benzoic acid (0.15 g, 0.42 mmol) [See Ex. 9 above] in DMF(10 ml) was added carbonyldiimidazole (0.34 g, 2.1 mmol). After stirring for 18 h at rt, N,N-dimethylglycolamide (0.43 g, 4.2 mmol) was added and stirring was continued for an additional 3h at rt. The reaction mixture was poured into H2O, extracted with EtOAc and evaporated. The residue was purified by flash chromatography eluting with a solvent gradient of 2% MeOH/CHCl3 to afford the title compound: CIMS (NH3,m/z): 445 (M+ +H).
