To a degassed solution of 2,5-dichloro-4-iodopyridine (8 g, 29.2 mmol), 2-amino-3-fluorobenzonitrile (3.98 g, 29.2 mmol) and potassium triphosphate (18.60 g, 88 mmol) in 1,4-dioxane (60 ml) stirred under nitrogen at the room temperature was added DPEPhos (1.258 g, 2.337 mmol) and palladium acetate (0.262 g, 1.168 mmol) The reaction mixture was stirred at reflux for 18 hr. The reaction mixture was filtered. 3-Methyl-1-(1-methylethyl)-1H-pyrazol-5-amine (4.07 g, 29.2 mmol) and cesium carbonate (28.6 g, 88 mmol) were added. The reaction mixture was degassed and palladium acetate (0.262 g, 1.168 mmol) and DPEPhos (1.258 g, 2.337 mmol) were added. The reaction mixture was refluxed overnight. The reaction mixture was filtered and the solid was dissolved in water, heated to 50° C. and stirred for 10 minutes, then filtered again. 2-[(5-Chloro-2-{[3-methyl-1-(1-methylethyl)-1H-pyrazol-5-yl]amino}-4-pyridinyl)amino]-3-fluorobenzonitrile (6 g, 15.59 mmol, 53.4% yield) was isolated as an orange solid. 1H NMR (400 MHz, DMSO-d6) δ ppm 1.23 (d, J=6.57 Hz, 6 H) 2.07 (s, 3 H) 4.32 (quin, J=6.57 Hz, 1 H) 5.64 (d, J=2.02 Hz, 1 H) 5.83 (s, 1 H) 7.39-7.58 (m, 1 H) 7.63-7.82 (m, 2 H) 7.88 (s, 1 H) 8.26 (br. s., 1 H) 8.41 (br. s., 1 H); HPLC Rt=2.35 min, MS (ESI): 385.0 [M+H]+.
