Sodium borohydride → [4-bromo-2-(4-isopropyl-phenyl)-7-methoxy-1-(2-methoxy-ethyl)-1H-benzoimidazol-5-yl]-methanol

NaBH4 (65 mg, 1.72 mmol) is added to a solution of 370 mg (0.858 mmol) 4-bromo-2-(4-isopropyl-phenyl)-7-methoxy-1-(2-methoxy-ethyl)-1H-benzoimidazole-5-carbaldehyde in 5 ml absolute ethanol at 0° C. The reaction mixture is stirred at 0° C. for 20 min. Then the reaction mixture is poured on water and extracted (3×) with dichloromethane/isopropanol (3:1). The combined organic layers are washed with water (2×) and brine, dried over MgSO4, filtered and concentrated in vacuo to afford 380 mg of the title compound as a pure crystalline solid.