The cuprous chloride-catalyzed Mannich reaction between propargyl alcohol (I), hexahydroazepine (II) and formaldehyde furnished aminobutynol (III), which was further converted to the corresponding chloride (IV) upon treatment with SOCl2. The title compound was then synthesized by alkylation of the anion of 9-benzylfluorene (V) with chloride (IV) in DMSO.