As starting material 4 (5)-methylcarbamoyl-5 (4)-methoxycarbonylimidazole (III)[2] was taken for the synthesis of (II). Alkylation of it with ethyl iodide in the presence of MeONa gave a mixture of two isomers l-ethyl-4-methoxycarbonyl-5-methylcarbamoylimidazole (IV) and lethyl-4-methylcarbamoyl-5-methoxycarbonylimidazole (V). Resolution of this mixture was carried out by preparative TLC. The individual compounds (IV) and (V) were converted by ...