The reaction of 5-fluorosalicylaldehyde (I) with 1-chloro-3-(tert-butylamino)-2-propanol (II) by means of p-toluenesulfonic acid in refluxing benzene gives 5-chloromethyl-3-(tert-butyl)-2-(2-hydroxy-5-fluorophenyl)oxazolidine (III), which is cyclized again by treatment with NaH in hot DMF to afford 8-aza-4,9-dioxa-11-fluoro-8-(tert-butyl)-2,3-benzobicyclo[4.2.1]octan (IV). Hydrolysis of (IV) with aqueous 1N HCl at 80 C yields 1-(2-formyl-4-fluorophenoxy)-3-(tert-butylamino)-2-propanol (V), which is submitted to a Grignard reaction with propylmagnesium bromide (A) in refluxing ether to afford 1-[2-(1-hydroxybutyl)-4-fluorophenoxy]-3-(tert-butylamino)-2-propanol (VI). Finally, this compound is oxidized with chromic acid in acetone - H2SO4.