Reaction of the Grignard reagent derived from 4-chlorobenzyl bromide (I) with allyl bromide (II) gives 4-(4-chlorophenyl)but-1-ene (III), which is epoxidized with peracetic acid in dichloromethane to yield 4-(4-chlorophenyl)-1,2-epoxybutane (IV). Opening of (IV) with the anion of imidazole (V) gives 1-[4-(4-chlorophenyl)-2-hydroxybutyl]imidazole (VI), which is oxidized under Swern conditions to 4-(4-chlorophenyl)-1-(1-imidazolyl)-2-butanone (VII). Ketone (VII) is then reacted with (S)-solketal tosylate [(S)-1,2-O-isopropylideneglycerol-3-O-tosylate] (VIII) in the presence of p-toluenesulfonic acid in toluene to give a mixture of stereoisomers, and (2S,4S)-cis-2-[2-(4-chlorophenyl)ethyl]-2-(imidazol-1-ylmethyl)-4-(p-toluenesulfonyloxy)methyl-1,3-dioxolane (IX) is then separated by crystallization. Finally, (IX) is treated with 4-aminothiophenol (X) in the presence of potassium carbonate in acetone.