N-(4-Formyl-3-methylphenyl)acetamide (D78) (326 mg, 1.8 mmol), 1,1-dimethylethyl (2S)-2-methyl-1-piperazinecarboxylate hydrochloride (436 mg, 1.8 mmol), triethylamine (0.282 mL, 2 mmol) and sodium tri(acetoxy)borohydride (781 mg, 3.7 mmol) were stirred together in DCE (15 mL) for 17 h. Saturated aqueous NaHCO3 (15 mL) was added and the reaction mixture stirred for 1 h. The organic layer was separated and washed with water and brine, then dried and concentrated to give the crude product which was purified by chromatography. Elution with 0-100% ethyl acetate/petroleum ether yielded the title compound as a colourless oil (573 mg). δH (CDCl3, 400 MHz) 7.27 (2H, m), 7.16 (1H, d), 7.11 (1H, br.s), 4.17 (1H, m), 3.78 (1H, m), 3.36 (2H, s), 3.02 (1H, m), 2.70 (1H, m), 2.56 (1H, m), 2.36 (3H, s), 2.17 (4H, m), 1.95 (1H, m), 1.45 (9H, s), 1.18 (3H, d). MS (ES): MH+ 362.3.
