Combine (−)-3-phenyl-3-(2-hydroxyethyl)pyrrolidine (R,R)-di-p-anisoyltartaric acid salt (11.1 g, 18.3 mmol) and acetone/water (1/1, 200 mL). Cool to about 0° C. in an ice bath and add sodium bicarbonate (10.6 g, 217.6 mmol). Warm to ambient temperature and slowly add a solution of benzoyl chloride (4.2 g, 365 mmol) in acetone (10 mL). After 18 hours, filter and dilute the filtrate with ethyl acetate. Extract the diluted filtrate with a saturated aqueous sodium bicarbonate solution and then brine. Dry the organic layer over Na2SO4, filter, and evaporate in vacuo to give a residue. Chromatograph the residue on silica gel eluting with dichloromethane/methanol 95/5 to give the title compound: Rf=0.81 (silica gel, dichloromethane/methanol 95/5).
