The mixture of 3-(5-chloro-2-hydroxy-phenoxy)-azetidine-1-carboxylic acid tert-butyl ester (0.5 mmol), (2-bromo-1,1-difluoro-ethyl)-benzene (1 mmol), and K2CO3 (1 mmol) in acetonitrile (3 mL) was heated at 180° C. in a microwave reactor for 1 h. The mixture was cooled to rt and purified via PTLC providing 3-[5-chloro-2-(2,2-difluoro-2-phenyl-ethoxy)-phenoxy]-azetidine-1-carboxylic acid tert-butyl ester (90 mg). To this compound was added CH2Cl2 (20 mL) and CF3COOH (3 mL). The mixture was stirred at rt for 4 h and concentrated to give the title compound (50 mg). MS (ESI): mass calcd. for C17H16ClF2NO2, 339.1; m/z found, 340.0 [M+H]+. 1H NMR (MeOD): 7.66-7.46 (m, 5H), 7.02-6.83 (m, 3H), 5.05-4.95 (m, 1H), 4.50 (t, J=12.7 Hz, 2H), 4.30-4.20 (m, 2H), 4.10-3.98 (m, 2H).
