4-Bromo-2-(3-formyl-2-methoxyphenoxy)benzonitrile (0.55 g, 1.7 mmol), methylamine (2M in methanol, 3.0 mL, 6.0 mmol) and sodium cyanoborohydride (120 mg, 1.9 mmol) were stirred at ambient temperature in a 1% acetic acid/methanol solution (40 mL) for 17 h. The solvent was removed in vacuo. The residue was treated with. 10% sodium carbonate solution and extracted with ethyl acetate. The ethyl acetate layer was separated and fumaric acid (0.20 g, 1.7 mmol) was added. After the solvent was removed in vacuo, the residue was triturated with ethyl acetate overnight, collected by filtration, and dried to give 4-bromo-2-(2-methoxy-3-methylaminomethyl-phenoxy)-benzonitrile fumarate (546 mg, 71%) as a white solid.
