(3S,4R)-4-Amino-2,2-dimethyl-6-(trifluoromethoxy)-chroman-3-ol [prepared by the method of Quagliato et al. Biorg. & Med. Chem. Let. 1991 1, 39; (2.75 g, 10 mmol)] and triethylamine (1.39 mL, 10 mmol) were stirred together in dichloromethane (25 mL) at 0° C. To this solution was added a solution of 2-nitrobenzoylchloride (1.32 mL, 10 mmol) in dichloromethane (10 mL). The ice bath was allowed to gradually warm to 15° C. overnight. The crude benzamide was diluted with dichloromethane (50 mL), washed with water (2×10 mL), dried (MgSO4) and concentrated to afford 2.0 g (47%) of white solid: m.p. 189°-190° C.; 1H NMR (DMSO-d6): δ 9.17 (d, 1H), 8.04 (d, 1H), 7.81 (m, 2H), 7.71 (t, 1H), 7.33 (s, 1H), 7.16 (d, 1H), 6.86 (d, 1H), 5.86 (d, 1H), 4.96 (br t, 1H), 3.64 (dd, 1H), 1.42 (s, 3H), 1.19 (s, 3H).
