To a stirred solution of 2-(4-(methylsulfonamidomethyl)phenyl)propanoic acid (60 mg, 0.233 mmol) and (2-m-tolyl-6-(trifluoromethyl)pyridin-3-yl)methanamine (62 mg, 0.233 mmol) in acetonitrile were added N-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-N′-ethylcarbodiimide (67 mg, 0.349 mmol), 1-hydroxybenzotriazole (47 mg, 0.349 mmol) and triethylamine (0.08 mL, 0.582 mmol). The reaction mixture was stirred for 15 h at room temperature. The residue dissolved in ethyl acetate and washed with water and brine. The organic layer was dried over magnesium sulfate and filtered. The filtrate removed in vacuo. The crude was purified by column chromatography to obtain 2-(4-(methylsulfonamidomethyl)phenyl)-N-((2-m-tolyl-6-(trifluoromethyl)pyridin-3-yl)methyl)propanamide (example 4) (81 mg, 69%).
