2-Benzyloxymethyl-4-isopropyl-1-(pyridin-4-yl)-1H-imidazole (5) (10.0 g, 31.1 mmol) was dissolved in toluene (50 ml). The solution was added dropwise to a solution of 3,5-dichlorobenzenesulfenyl chloride (3) (8.0 g, 37.05 mmol) in toluene (24.7 g) under ice-cooling for 30 minutes. To the mixture was added dropwise triethylamine (3.5 g, 34.6 mmol) under ice-cooling for 1 hour and the mixture was stirred at the same temperature for 1.5 hours. To the mixture was added water (25 ml) and toluene layer was separated. The toluene layer was washed with water (25 ml) and each aqueous layer was extracted with toluene (10 ml). The toluene layer was collected, concentrated under reduced pressure to give oily product, which was crystallized with diisopropyl ether 50 ml, filtered and dried to yield the objective (6) (12.6 g) as a pale yellow crystal. Yield 81.3%.
