A solution of 2.80 g of alpha-isopropyl-alpha-[3-[N-[3-(3-hydroxymethylphenoxy)propyl]amino]propyl]-3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl acetonitrile and 4.84 g of 37% formalin in 70 ml of methanol was refluxed for 1 hour. After cooling, to the solution was added 2.25 g of sodium borohydride and the solution was stirred for 1 hour at room temperature. The solvent was removed and to the residue was added water. The solution was extracted with chloroform and the extract was washed with water, dried, and evaporated. The residue was chromatographed on silica gel using 10% methanol-chloroform as an eluent to give 0.74 g of the desired compound as a yellow oil.
