In 10 ml of tetrahydrofuran was dissolved 1.05 mg (2.5 mmol)of 2-(2-benzyloxyethyl)-5-(3,5-dichlorophenylthio)-4-isopropyl-1H-imidazole (Compound I-136), followed by addition of 220 mg (5.5 mmol)of sodium hydroxide, 48 mg (0.15 mmol) of tetrabutylammonium bromide and 594 mg (2.75 mmol)of nitrobenzylbromide with stirring at room temperature, and the mixture was reacted for 3 hours and worked up. The reaction mixture was distilled off under reduced pressure, and the residue was extracted with ethyl acetate. The extract was washed with water, dried, and the solvent was distilled off. The residue was purified by silica gel column chromatography (ethyl acetate:chloroform=1:9)to give 1.3 g (93%)of 2-(2-benzyloxyethyl)-5-(3,5-dichlorophenylthio)-4-isopropyl-1-p-nitrobenzyl-1H-imidazole (125a)as oil.
