Methyl chloroformate → Methyl 2-(4-cyanonaphthalen-1-yl)acetate

To a solution of 4-methyl-1-cyanonaphthalene (4.35 g, 25.9 mmol) in THF (100 mL) was cooled to −78° C. and treated with commercially available LDA (2 M, 60 mL). The reaction mixture was then warmed to 0° C. and maintained at 0° C. for 30 min. The resulting red-colored solution was cooled to −78° C. and methyl chloroformate (10 mL, 130 mmol) was added. The reaction mixture was stirred while warming to rt until the displacement was complete (4 h) and then quenched with sat'd NH4Cl. The THF layer was evaporated and extracted with EtOAc (3×20 mL). The EtOAc was dried over Na2SO4 and concentrated in vacuo to afford an oil.