Diisopropylethylamine (23.5 mL, 0.136 mol) and diethanolamine (14.2 g, 0.135 mol) are added to a stirred solution of 3-(4-chloromethylphenyl)-5-(2-fluorobiphenyl-4-yl)-1,2,4-oxadiazole (33 g, 0.090 mol) in N,N-dimethyl-formamide (200 mL). The reaction mixture is heated at 90° C. for 2.5 hrs, the solvent is removed under reduced pressure and the residue is treated with demineralized water (200 mL) to get a solid which is filtered and washed with n-hexane (150 mL) and diethyl ether (100 mL) to furnish 2-[{4-[5-(2-fluorobiphenyl-4-yl)-1,2,4-oxadiazole-3-yl]benzyl}(2-hydroxyethyl)amino]ethanol.
