Selenium dioxide oxidation of diaryl ethanone (I) afforded diketone (II), which was cyclized to the imidazole (III) by reaction with hexamethylenetetramine and ammonium acetate in hot AcOH. Alkylation of (III) with 1-bromo-3-phenylpropane (IV) in the presence of NaH gave rise to a mixture of regioisomeric imidazoles (V) and (VI) that were separated by column chromatography. After deprotonation of the desired isomer (V) with LDA, treatment with iodine produced iodoimidazole (VII). Then, palladium-catalyzed coupling of (VII) with 3-butyn-1-ol (VIII) yielded the title compound.