6-Bromo-3-piperidin-4-yl-3,4-dihydro-1H-quinazolin-2-one (0.16 g, 0.52 mmol), zinc cyanide (37 mg, 0.31 mmol) and tetrakis(triphenylphosphine)palladium(0) (60 mg, 0.05 mmol) were combined in dimethylformamide (4 mL). The reaction flask was connected to high vacuum and degassed (3×) by a freeze-thawing method, before being heated at 90° C. with stirring under nitrogen for 1 h. After cooling to room temperature, the solution was evaporated in vacuo and the crude mixture purified by preparative HPLC to afford 50 mg (38%) of the desired nitrile. 1H-NMR (CD3OD) δ 1.99 (m, 2H), 2.08-2.23 (m, 2H), 3.15 (m, 2H), 3.50 (bs, 1H), 3.55 (bs, 1H), 4.40 (m, 1H), 4.47 (s, 2H), 6.93 (d, J=8.1, 1H), 4.10 (m, 2H). Mass spec.: 257.13 (MH)+.
