Into a 25-mL RB-flask was added (R)-(+)-3-chloro-1-phenyl-1-propanol (0.545 g, 3.19 mmol, 99% ee, Aldrich Chemical Co.), 2-methyl-N-[3-(4-piperidinyl)phenyl]propanamide (0.748 g, 3.04 mmol), potassium carbonate (0.420 g, 3.04 mmol), sodium iodide (0.684 g, 4.56 mmol) and DMF (6.0 mL) at room temperature. After stirring at 100° C. for 3 hrs, TLC showed that the reaction was complete. The reaction mixture was cooled to room temperature and poured into water (50 mL) and the aqueous layer was extracted with methylene chloride (3×20 mL). The combined organic extracts were washed with brine (20 mL), dried over Na2SO4 and concentrated under reduced pressure. The residue was purified by flash chromatography (1:1=hexane: ethyl acetate with 1% isopropylamine) to afford the desired product (1.09 g, 94% yield) as a light-yellow solid: 1H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl3) δ 8.10 (s, 1H), 7.46–7.35 (m, 6H), 7.27 (m, 2H), 6.98 (apparent d, 1H, J=7.6 Hz), 5.02 (apparent dd, 1H, J=4.4, 8.1 Hz), 3.18 (apparent dd, 2H, J=2.5, 12.5 Hz), 2.74 (m, 2H), 2.50 (m, 2H), 2.30–2.10 (m, 6H), 1.80 (m, 2H), 1.25 (d, 6H, J=7.1 Hz); ESMS m/e: 381.2 (M+H)+.
