To a 100-mL single-neck round-bottomed flask equipped with a magnetic stirrer and reflux condenser was charged with 1,4-dioxane (15 mL), 3,5-dibromoisonicotin-aldehyde (400 mg, 1.5 mmol), 4,4-dimethyl-7-thia-10-azatricyclo[6.4.0.02,6]dodeca-1(8),2(6)-dien-9-one (106h) (170 mg, 0.76 mmol), and cesium carbonate (176 mg, 1.5 mmol). Xantphos (40 mg, 0.08 mmol) and Pd2(dba)3 (70 mg, 0.08 mmol) were added, and the reaction mixture was heated at 100° C. for 5 h. After this time the reaction was cooled to room temperature and filtered. The filtrate was concentrated under reduced pressure and the residue was purified on flash column eluting with DCM:MeOH (20:1) to afford 106i (200 mg, 65%). MS: [M+H]+ 405.
