The title compound was prepared by adding 1.0 M benzylmagnesium chloride in ether (0.53 mL, 0.53 mmol) to a THF (20 mL) solution of 2-(2,2,2-trifluoroethyl)-4-chloro-5-[4-(methylsulfonyl)phenyl]-3(2H)-pyridazinone (150 mg, 0.41 mmol), prepared according to the method of Example 193E, at 0° C., then allowing the mixture to warm to room temperature over 2 hours. After an aqueous work-up, the crude material was purified by column chromatography (silica gel, 65:35 hexanes/ethyl acetate) and crystallized from ethyl acetate/hexanes to provide white, crystalline product (yield: 74 mg, 43%). mp 112-114° C. 1H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl3) δ 3.12 (s, 3H), 3.94 (s, 2H), 4.85 (q, J=12 Hz, 2H), 6.99 (dd, J=7.5 Hz, 3 Hz, 2H), 7.2 (m, 3H), 7.48 (d, J=9 Hz, 2H), 7.72 (s, 1H), 8.06 (d, J=9 Hz, 2H).: MS (DCI/NH3) m/z 423 (M+H)+. Anal. calc. for C20H17F3N2O3S: C, 56.86; H, 4.05; N, 6.63. Found: C, 56.60; H, 4.13; N, 6.57.
