To a solution of the N-[3-(hydroxymethyl)phenyl]-4-(tetradecyloxy)benzamide in 80 ml of tetrahydrofuran at 0° C. under argon is added 36.39 ml of 1M lithium aluminum hydride. Stirred at room temperature for 1 hour and refluxed for 7 hours. After stirring overnight and cooling to 0° C., ethyl acetate is added followed by sodium hydroxide solution until a solid forms. The mixture is diluted with ether, filtered and evaporated to a residue which is crystallized from hexane to give 6.7 g of the desired product as a white solid, m.p. 72°-75° C.
