To a solution of methyl 4-{[4-({[(2-fluoro-6-isobutoxyphenyl)(hydroxyimino)methyl]amino}methyl)-piperidin-1-yl]methyl}tetrahydro-2H-pyran-4-carboxylate (0.84 g, 1.8 mmol, EXAMPLE 16, Step 8) in N-methylpyrrolidone (9.0 mL) was added potassium tert-butoxide (0.22 g, 2.0 mmol) at room temperature. The mixture was heated at 100° C. for 5 h and cooled to room temperature. The mixture was diluted with water (50 mL) and extracted with ethyl acetate (50 mL×2) and washed with water (50 mL). The combined extracts were dried over magnesium sulfate and concentrated in vacuo to give an oil. The residual oil was purified by silica gel column chromatography (hexane/ethyl acetate 1:1 to 1:2) to give 0.30 g (36%) of the title compound as a colorless viscous oil.
