Abstract
A novel and efficient method was developed to synthesize N‐benzyl‐4‐formyl‐piperidine, a key intermediate of Donepezil (Aricept®). N‐Benzyl‐4‐piperidone was reacted with dimethyloxosulfonium methylide to get epoxide, followed by rearrangement in the presence of magnesium bromide etherate to give target compound in high yield.