To a solution of (5-methyl-3-phenyl-isoxazol-4-yl)-methanol (95 mg, 0.50 mmol) in THF (6 mL) was added 2-hydroxy-5-trifluoromethylpyridine (90 mg, 0.55 mmol) and triphenylphosphine (197 mg, 0.75 mmol) at ambient temperature under an argon atmosphere. Then diethyl azodicarboxylate (120 μL, 0.75 mmol) was added and the reaction mixture was stirred for 2.5 h at 50° C. Concentration and purification by chromatography (SiO2, heptane:ethyl acetate=95:5 to 0:100) afforded the title compound (86 mg, 51%) as a colourless oil. MS: m/e=335.3 [M+H]+.
