Oxidative oxidation of p-nitrobenzaldehyde (I) and 1,2-phenylenediamine (II) in DMF in the presence of nitrobenzene produced benzimidazole (III). Subsequent reduction of the nitro group of (III) by means of NaBH4 and CuCl afforded aniline (IV). Bromide (VI) was prepared by treatment of 4'-demethyl epipodophyllotoxin (V) with HBr. The title compound was then obtained by coupling aniline (IV) with bromide (VI) using BaCO3 in 1,2-dichloroethane.