The partial alcoholysis of 2-cyanomethyl-1,4-benzodioxane (I) with ethanol and HCl in ether gives ethyl-(1,4-benzodioxan-2-yl)acetimidate (II), which is cyclized with aminoacetaldehyde diethylketal (III) in refluxing ethanol yielding 2-[(1,4-benzodioxan-2-yl)methyl]imidazole (IV). Finally, this compound is alkylated with ethyl iodide (V) and NaH in DMF.