A toluene solution (1.04 g) of 40% diethyl azodicarboxylate was added dropwise slowly to a mixture of ethyl 3-[1-(4-hydroxybenzyl)-4-phenyl-3-pyrrolyl]propionate (699 mg), 3-furanmethanol (0.172 ml), triphenylphosphine (577 mg) and tetrahydrofuran (20 ml) at room temperature. After the solution was stirred at room temperature overnight, the reaction solvent was removed under reduced pressure. The residue was subjected to silica gel column chromatography, and ethyl 3-[1-[4-(3-furylmethoxy)benzyl]-4-phenyl-3-pyrrolyl]propionate (385 mg, yield: 45%) was obtained as an oily substance from the fraction eluted with ethyl acetate-hexane (1:4, volume ratio).
