New syntheses of the title compound, the neuroleptic "penfluridol" (1) are described. Their final stages consist (1) in the reaction of 1-[4,4-bis(4-fluorophenyl)butyIJ-4-piperidone (II) with 3-trifluoromethyl-4-chlorophenylmagnesium bromide and (2) in the reduction of 1-[4,4-bis(4-fluorophenyl)butyryIJ-4-(3-trifluoromethyl-4-chlorophenyl)-4-piperidinol (XL) with lithium aluminium hydride. Several variants of the synthesis are described together with several model experiments and synthetic attempts.