Alternatively, the following method may be used. A glass hydrogenation flask was loaded with methanol (1.55 L), Pd/C (10%, 31 g, 20% loading), 1-(4-benzyl-morpholin-2-yl)-2-(5-fluoro-2-methoxy-phenyl)-1-phenyl-ethanol (155 g, 0.368 mole) and a solution of HCl in ethanol (2.5N, 233 ml, 0.582 mole, 1.6 eq.). The reactor was mounted on a Parr instrument and pressurized with H2 (49 Psi). The reaction mixture was shaken overnight between 20° C. and 15° C. The catalyst was filtered off and washed with methanol (0.5 L). The filtrates were concentrated under vacuum. The yield of crude title compound was 109.5 g (81%). The catalyst was washed again with methanol (2×500 ml). The filtrates were combined and concentrated under vacuum. The yield of the second crop of crude title compound was 21.7 g (16%). A reactor was loaded with crude title compound (131 g, 0.356 mole) and isopropanol (1.3 L) under N2. The suspension was heated under reflux for 4 hours. The mixture was cooled to 20° C. and the solid was filtered, washed with isopropanol (130 ml), and dried at 50° C. under vacuum. The yield of pure title compound was 115.9 g (88.5% yield).
