Flibanserin may be prepared by reacting 1-(phenylvinyl)-2,3-dihydro-1H-benzimidazol-2-one (I) with 1,2-dichloroethane (II) in the presence of NaH in warm dimethylformamide. The resulting 1-(2-chloroethyl)-2,3-dihydro-1H-benzimidazol-one (III) is in turn coupled with commercially available m-trifluoromethylphenylpiperazine hydrochloride (IV) in the presence of sodium carbonate and catalytic potassium iodide in refluxing ethanol. The crude flibanserin hydrochloride (V) is then dissolved in aqueous ethanol and the pure base is precipitated upon addition of sodium hydroxide.