To 25 ml of methanol was dissolved 1.41 g (2.67 mmol)of 1-benzyl-5-(3,5-dichlorophenylthio )-4-isopropyl-2-(p-methoxybenzyloxymethyl)-1H-imidazole (17f), followed by addition of 12.5 ml of 6N-hydrochloric acid at room temperature with stirring, and the mixture was stirred under heating at 60° C. for 3 hour. This reaction mixture was concentrated under reduced pressure, the residual solution was neutralized with a saturated aqueous solution of sodium bicarbonate to be weakly basic, and was extracted with methylene chloride. The extract was rinsed with water, and then, was dried over magnesium sulfate, and the solvent was concentrated under reduced pressure. The residue was crystalized from n-hexane and collected by filtration to give 1.0 g (yield 92%)of [1-benzyl-5-(3,5-dichlorophenylthio)-4-isopropyl-1H-imidazol-2-yl]methanol (Compound I-16). mp 121-124° C.
