The cyclization of o-phenylenediamine (I) with alpha-hydroxyphenylacetic acid (II) in refluxing aqueous HCl gives 2-(alpha-hydroxybenzyl)benzimidazol (III), which is oxidized with SeO2 in refluxing acetic acid yielding 2-benzoylbenzimidazol (lV). Finally this compound is cyclized with epichlorohydrin (V) by means of sodium ethoxide in refluxing ethanol.