To a solution of 2,6-diisopropyl-3-hydroxymethyl-4-(4-fluorophenyl)-5-pentylpyridine (3.14 g, 8.78 mmol) (Example 1, Step H) in methylene chloride (45 mL) were added imidazole (0.9 g, 13.17 mmol, 1.5 eq) and t-butyl-dimethylsilyl chloride (2.0 g, 13.17 mmol, 1.5 eq). A white precipitate began to form immediately. The mixture was stirred for 14 h at 25° C. and was then diluted with methylene chloride (100 mL) and washed sequentially with 10% hydrochloric add (20 mL), saturated aqueous sodium bicarbonate (20 mL), and brine (20 mL). The organic layer was concentrated under reduced pressure and the resultant residue was recrystallized from methanol to provide the product (3.27 g, 79%) as a white fluffy crystalline solid. 1H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl3): δ −0.10 (s, 6 H), 0.79 (t, J=6.9 Hz, 3 H), 0.83 (s, 9 H), 1.07-1.20 (m, 4 H), 1.29-1.32 (m, 14 H), 2.23-2.30 (m, 2 H), 3.21 (sept, J=6.6 Hz, 1 H), 3.35 (sept, J=6.6 Hz, 1 H), 4.24 (s, 2 H), 7.05-7.18 (m, 4 H). Anal. calc. for C29H46NOFSi: C, 73.83; H, 9.83; N, 2.97. Found: C, 73.82; H, 9.95; N, 2.86.
