Example 1: Synthesis of 4-((2-(3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)-4,5-bis(4-methoxyphenyl)-1H-imidazol-1-yl)methyl)benzamide (Apoptozole) [64][65]. To a stirred solution of ammonium acetate (0.6 g, 8.0 mmol) in acetic acid (5 mL) was sequentially added 3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)benzaldehyde (0.3 μL, 1.7 mmol), 4,4'-dimethoxybenzene diphosphonium (0.5 g, 1.7 mmol) and 4-(aminomethyl)benzamide (0.2 g, 1.3 mmol). The reaction mixture was stirred at room temperature for 5 h before being diluted with chloroform (CHCl?) and washed sequentially with water and brine. The organic layer was dried over anhydrous magnesium sulfate (MgSO?), filtered and concentrated under reduced pressure. The crude product was purified by fast column chromatography (eluent ratios from 3:1 to 1:1 hexane/ethyl acetate) to give the pure product (0.4 mmol in 30% yield).1H NMR (250 MHz, CD?OD) δ 8.82 (s, 2H), 8.67 (s, 2H), 8.40 (d, 2H, J = 10.0 Hz), 8.06 (d, 2H, J = 8.8 Hz). J = 8.8 Hz), 7.90 (d, 2H, J = 8.1 Hz), 7.62-7.58 (m, 4H), 7.45 (d, 2H, J = 8.8 Hz), 5.91 (s, 2H), 4.45 (s, 3H), 4.40 (s, 3H).13C NMR (125 MHz, CD?OD) δ 171.6, 162.0 160.5, 145.9, 142.4, 140.1, 134.5, 134.3, 133.7, 133.4, 133.2, 132.5, 130.4, 129.6, 129.4, 127.6, 127.2, 123.7, 123.1, 115.8, 114.8, 55.9, 55.8, 40.5. MALDI-TOF-MS calculated value C??H??F?N?O?(M + Na)+ 648.18, measured value 648.18.