Benzyl bromide (40 μl) was added to a solution of (2S)-1-[(4-fluorophenyl)sulfonyl]-2-(1H-1,2,4-triazol-3-yl)piperidine (95 mg) [see Preparation 42] and potassium carbonate (47 mg) in dimethylformamide (5 ml). The reaction mixture was stirred at 50° C. for 7 hours, after which time the solvent was removed under reduced pressure and the residue diluted with ethyl acetate. The organic solution was washed with water, dried over magnesium sulphate and the solvent removed under reduced pressure. The crude product was purified by column chromatography on silica gel eluting with 100:0 changing to 50:50, by volume, hexane:ethyl acetate (in 10% increments), to afford (2S)-2-(1-benzyl-1H-1,2,4-triazol-3-yl)-1-[(4-fluorophenyl)sulfonyl]piperidine (35 mg) as a white solid.
