3-[4-(4-Chlorophenyl)-2-(2-methyl-1-imidazolyl)-5-oxazolyl]propyl methanesulfonate (400 mg), 4-hydroxyphenylacetonitrile (200 mg), potassium carbonate (276 mg) and N,N-dimethylformamide (10 ml) was stirred at 100° C. for 4 hours. The reaction mixture was poured into water (100 ml) and extracted with ethyl acetate (100 ml×2). The organic layer was washed with water, dried over anhydrous magnesium sulfate, and concentrated. The residue was subjected to silica gel column chromatography, and 2-[4-[3-[4-(4-chlorophenyl)-2-(2-methyl-1-imidazolyl)-5-oxazolyl]propyloxy]phenyl]acetonitrile was obtained as a yellow oil (380 mg, 89%) from an ethyl acetate-hexane (2:1, v/v)-eluted fraction.
