Condensation of 2-(carbazol-9-yl)ethanol (I) with (S)-ethyl 2-ethoxy-3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)propionate (II) under Mitsunobu conditions using tributylphosphine and 1,1'-(azodicarbonyl)dipiperidine gave ether (III). Basic hydrolysis of the ethyl ester group of (III) provided carboxylic acid (IV), which was finally isolated as the corresponding arginine salt.