3.7 g (52.5 millimoles) of 1,2,4-triazole are added to a solution of 0.11 g (47 millimoles) of sodium in 30 ml of n-propanol at room temperature, while stirring. The mixture is heated to the reflux temperature and a solution of 15.4 g (47 millimoles) of 2-(2,4-dichlorophenyl-tert.-butyl)-2-(1,2,4-triazol-1-yl-methyl)-oxirane in 20 ml of n-propanol is added. The reaction mixture is heated under reflux for 15 hours and then cooled and poured onto water. The mixture is extracted with methylene chloride and the organic phase is dried over sodium sulphate and concentrated. The residue is purified by column chromatography (silica gel; ethyl acetate:cyclohexane=3:1). 3.5 g (18.8% of theory) of 4-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-3,3-dimethyl-2-(1,2,4-triazol-1-yl-methyl)-1-(1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)-2-butanol of melting point 126° C. are obtained.
