Reaction SMILES: [CH3:1][O:2][C:3]1[C:8]([O:9][CH3:10])=[CH:7][CH:6]=[CH:5][C:4]=1[C@H:11]([CH:13]1[CH2:18][CH2:17][N:16]([CH2:19][CH2:20][C:21]2[CH:26]=[CH:25][C:24]([F:27])=[CH:23][CH:22]=2)[CH2:15][CH2:14]1)[OH:12].O.Cl.[OH-].[Na+]>C(COC)OC>[CH3:1][O:2][C:3]1[C:8]([O:9][CH3:10])=[CH:7][CH:6]=[CH:5][C:4]=1[CH:11]([CH:13]1[CH2:14][CH2:15][N:16]([CH2:19][CH2:20][C:21]2[CH:26]=[CH:25][C:24]([F:27])=[CH:23][CH:22]=2)[CH2:17][CH2:18]1)[OH:12]
Reactant: COc1cccc([C@@H](O)C2CCN(CCc3ccc(F)cc3)CC2)c1OC
Agent: Cl
Agent: [Na+]
Agent: [OH-]
Solvent: O
Solvent: COCCOC
Product: COc1cccc(C(O)C2CCN(CCc3ccc(F)cc3)CC2)c1OC
Temperature: 70 °C
Reaction time: 0.12 h
Yield: 69.7 %

Procedure:
In a 250 mL glass round bottom flask equipped with a magnetic stirrer, cold water condenser and a nitrogen line, 97.5% pure (S)-α-(2,3-dimethoxyphenyl)-1-[2-(4-fluorophenyl)ethyl]-4-piperidinemethanol (3c) (10.49 g, 28 mmol), water (13 mL), glyme (40 mL) and 37% HCl (13.86 g, 140 mmol) were combined and heated to reflux. The solution was assayed initially and showed 14.4 wt % (10.39 g) (S)-α-(2,3-dimethoxyphenyl)-1-[2-(4-fluorophenyl)ethyl]-4-piperidinemethanol (3c) in solution. The clear homogeneous solution was heated for 4-5 hours. Analysis of the reaction solution at the end of racemization showed an optical purity of 1.1% of (S)-α-(2,3-dimethoxyphenyl)-1-[2-(4-fluorophenyl)ethyl]-4-piperidinemethanol (3c). The solution was cooled to room temperature and neutralized with 50% NaOH (11.25 g, 140 mmol). The solution was cooled before the base was added to help control the exotherm produced during the addition. The reaction mixture was stirred for 5-10 minutes. The glyme was removed by rotary evaporation. To the residue, toluene (53 mL) was added. The phases were agitated and heated to 70° C. The phases were separated at 60° C. The bottom aqueous phase was removed and extracted a second time with toluene (27 mL). The phases were heated and stirred for 15 minutes before being separated. The organic phases were combined and assayed at 9.5 wt % (8.2 g) α-(2,3-dimethoxyphenyl)-1-[2-(4-fluorophenyl)ethyl]-4-piperidinemethanol (5) in solution. There was essentially no product left in the aqueous phase. The organic solution was stripped to a solid on the rotary evaporator. The residue was dissolved in 2-propanol (15 g) to give a 35 wt % solution of α-(2,3-dimethoxyphenyl)-1-[2-(4-fluorophenyl)ethyl]-4-piperidinemethanol (5). The solution was heated to reflux and cooled to room temperature. The solution crystallized, the slurry was warmed and the crystals were digested at 45-50° C. for 30 minutes. The slurry was then cooled to room temperature and then chilled in an ice bath for 30 minutes. The crystals were suction filtered through a coarse sintered glass funnel. The wet cake was washed with 17 mL of 2-propanol before being dried in a vacuum oven at 60° C. The mother liquor showed 2.6 wt % (0.66 g) α-(2,3-dimethoxyphenyl)-1-[2-(4-fluorophenyl)ethyl]-4-piperidinemethanol (5) in solution. Isolation of the α-(2,3-dimethoxyphenyl)-1-[2-(4-fluorophenyl)ethyl]-4-piperidinemethanol (5) crystals were done in a 69.7% yield based on the initial amount of (S)-a-(2,3-dimethoxyphenyl)-1-[2-(4-fluorophenyl)ethyl]-4-piperidinemethanol (3c) used. Assay of the crystals was >100% and showed an optical purity of 1.2% (S)-α-(2,3-dimethoxyphenyl)-1-[2-(4-fluorophenyl)ethyl]-4-piperidinemethanol (3c).