The condensation of 4-fluoro-2-methylnitrobenzene (I) with 2,4-dimethyl-1H-imidazole (II) by means of Na2CO3 in hot DMF gives 4-(2,4-dimethyl-1H-imidazol-1-yl)-2-methylnitrobenzene (III), which is reduced with SnCl2 in refluxing ethanol yielding the corresponding aniline (IV).The condensation of (IV) with trans-3-ethoxypropenoyl chloride in anhydrous pyridine affords the anilide (VI), which is finally cyclized by means of 98% H2SO4.