Friedel-Crafts acylation of 5-fluorobenzothiophene (I) with 3-chloropropionyl chloride (II) in the presence of AlCl3 furnished the chloroketone (III). This was then condensed with N-(2-methoxyphenyl)piperazine (IV) to afford the piperazinyl ketone (V). Reduction of the keto group of (V) with NaBH4 then gave the title alcohol.