The reaction of benzophenone (I) with succinodinitrile (II) by means of potassium tert-butoxide in refluxing tert-butanol, followed by a treatment with refluxing 10% sulfuric acid gives 3-(diphenylmethylene)pyrrolidine-2,5-dione (III), which is then consdensed with 4-[3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]piperazine (IV) and formaldehyde in refluxing ethanol.
The reaction of 1-(4-fluorophenyl)piperazine (I) with 4-chlorobutyronitrile (II) by means of Na2CO3 in refluxing acetonitrile gives 4-[4-(4-fluorophenyl) piperazin-1-yl]butyronitrile (III), which is reduced with LiAlH4 in THF yielding 1-(4-aminobutyl)-4-(4-fluorophenyl)piperazine (IV). Finally, this compound is condensed with 2-(diphenylmethylene)succinic anhydride (V) in refluxing acetic acid.