To an N2 degassed solution of 1,4-dioxane (20 mL), was added 4-bromo-1-(methyloxy)-2-nitrobenzene (0.5 g, 2.16 mmol), XANTPHOS (0.37 g, 0.65 mmol, Aldrich), Pd2(dba)3(0.39 g, 0.43 mmol, Aldrich), Cs2CO3 (1.4 g, 4.3 mmol, Aldrich), and 1-methylpiperazine (0.43 g, 4.3 mmol, Aldrich). After heating overnight at 90° C., the reaction was diluted with ethyl acetate (50 mL), washed with water (50 mL), the organic layer adsorbed to silica gel and purified by column chromatography (dichloromethane to 5% methanol/dichloromethane) to afford 1-methyl-4-[4-(methyloxy)-3-nitrophenyl]piperazine (0.4 g, 74%) as a tan solid. ESIMS (M+H)+=252.
