By reaction of ethyl 2-fluoro-4-biphenylylacetate (I) first with diethyl carbonate and sodium ethoxide, and then with dimethyl sulfate in ethanol to give diethyl 2-fluoro-4-biphenylyl-alpha-methylmalonate (II), which was hydrolyzed with NaOH in ethanol and finally decarboxylated at 180-200 C. The starting product (I) was obtained as follows: the Ullman condensation of 4-bromo-3-nitroacetophenone (III) gives 2-nitro-4-acetylbiphenyl (IV), which was reduced to the corresponding amino compound (V). This, by the Schieman reaction was converted into 2-fluoro-4-acetylbiphenyl (VI), which by heating with sulfur and morpholine (B) gave 2-fluoro-4-biphenylylacetic acid (VII), and finally (VII) was esterified by refluxing with ethanol and H2SO4.

By reaction of ethyl 2-fluoro-4-biphenylylacetate (I) first with diethyl carbonate and sodium ethoxide, and then with dimethyl sulfate in ethanol to give diethyl 2-fluoro-4-biphenylyl-alpha-methylmalonate (II), which was hydrolyzed with NaOH in ethanol and finally decarboxylated at 180-200 C. The starting product (I) was obtained as follows: the Ullman condensation of 4-bromo-3-nitroacetophenone (III) gives 2-nitro-4-acetylbiphenyl (IV), which was reduced to the corresponding amino compound (V). This, by the Schieman reaction was converted into 2-fluoro-4-acetylbiphenyl (VI), which by heating with sulfur and morpholine (B) gave 2-fluoro-4-biphenylylacetic acid (VII), and finally (VII) was esterified by refluxing with ethanol and H2SO4.