A solution of diisobutylaluminium hydride in toluene (1.5M, 9.4 ml, 14.1mmol) was added to a solution of 3-(4-[4-methoxycarbonylphenyl]piperazin-1-yl)methyl-1H-pyrrolo[2,3-b]pyridine (1.64 g, 4.68 mmol) in tetrahydrofuran (100 ml) and the resultant mixture stirred at room temperature for forty minutes. Methanol (3.3 ml) was added, followed by water (2.0ml) and 2M aqueous sodium hydroxide (2.0 ml). The precipitate formed was collected, the filtrate concentrated in vacuo and the solid residue was recrystallised from methanol to afford the title compound (1.12 g, 74%), m.p. 207°-209° C. (dec.); (Found: C, 69.48; H, 7.00; N, 16.61. C19H22N4O.0.3 MeOH requires C, 69.82; H, 7.04; N, 16.87%); δH (DMSO-d6) 2.52 (4H, m, 2×piperazinyl CH2), 3.08 (4H, m, 2×piperazinyl CH2), 3.68 (2H, CH2N), 4.36 (2H, d, J 5.6 Hz, CH2OH), 4.92 (1H, t, J 5.6 Hz, CH2OH), 6.85 (2H, d, J 8.7 Hz, ArH), 7.05 (1H, dd, J 7.9, 4.7 Hz, 5-H), 7.13 (2H, d, J 8.7 Hz, ArH), 7.37 (1H, d, J 2.2 Hz, 2-H), 8.05 (1H, br d, J 7.9 Hz, 4-H), 8.19 (1H, dd, J 4.7, 1.5 Hz, 6-H), and 11.47 (1H, br s, NH); m/z (CI+, NH3) 323 (M+1)+.
