To a mixture of [4-[2-(5-methyl-2-phenyl-4-oxazolyl)ethyl]phenyl]methanol (0.87 g), methyl 2-(2-oxo-1,2-dihydro-3-pyridyl)acetate (0.36 g), triphenylphosphine (0.87 g) and tetrahydrofuran (50 mL) was dropwise added a solution (40%, 1.47 g) of diethyl azodicarboxylate in toluene at room temperature, and the mixture was stirred for 15 hrs. The reaction mixture was concentrated and the residue was subjected to silica gel column chromatography to give an oil from a fraction eluted with ethyl acetate-hexane (1:3, v/v). To a mixture of the obtained oil, tetrahydrofuran (3 mL) and methanol, (3 mL) was added an 1N aqueous sodium hydroxide solution (3 mL) and the mixture was stirred at room temperature for 2 hrs. 1N Hydrochloric acid (3 mL) and water were added to the reaction mixture and the mixture was extracted with ethyl acetate. The organic layer was washed with saturated brine, dried over anhydrous magnesium sulfate and concentrated. The residue was subjected to silica gel column chromatography to give crystals (0.14 g, 14%) of 2-[2-[4-[2-(5-methyl-2-phenyl-4-oxazolyl)ethoxy]benzyloxy]-3-pyridyl]acetic acid from a fraction eluted with ethyl acetate-hexane (1:1, v/v). Recrystallization from ethyl acetate-hexane gave colorless prism crystals. melting point: 134-135° C.
