1-(4-Fluorophenyl)-2-(4-pyridyl)ethanone (I) was brominated in HOAc to yield bromoketone (II). Reaction of (II) with ammonium oxalate in formamide at 200 C produced a 1:1 mixture of imidazole (III) and oxazole (IV). After isolation of the desired oxazole (IV), its lithiation with n-butyllithium followed by addition to N-methyl-4-piperidinone (V) furnished the corresponding carbinol .