To a solution of N-(2′-fluoro-5′-methoxy-2-neopentyl-[1,1′-biphenyl]-4-yl)-2-nitrobenzenesulfonamide (892 mg), ethyl 3-cyclopropyl-3-(3-(hydroxymethyl)phenyl)propanoate (445 mg) and triphenylphosphine (990 mg) in THF (19 mL) was added a 40% solution of diethyl azodicarboxylate in toluene (1.49 mL) at 0° C., and the mixture was stirred at room temperature for 2 hr. The reaction mixture was concentrated under reduced pressure, and the residue was purified by silica gel column chromatography (NH, ethyl acetate/hexane) to give the title compound (1.22 g) as a colorless gummy substance.
