Into a flask containing a solution of benzyl 2-bromo-1-methyl-1H-imidazole-4-carboxylate (2 g, 6.77 mmol) in 1,2-dimethoxyethane (40 ml), potassium phosphate (2.3 g, 20.3 mmol) and 1-methyl-4-(4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-1,3,2-dioxaborolan-2-yl)-1H-pyrazole (1.41 g, 6.77 mmol) were added at RT under argon atmosphere. The resulting mixture was degassed and purged with argon for 10 minutes. Then Pd(PPh3)4 (0.310 g, 0.2 mmol) was added to the reaction mixture and heated at 90° C. for 12 h. The reaction mixture was filtered through a celite bed and the filtrate was diluted with water and extracted with EtOAc. The organic layer was concentrated and purified by flash chromatography. Yield 1.1 g. 1H-NMR (400 MHz; CDCl3): δ 3.77 (s, 3H), 3.95 (s, 3H), 5.36 (s, 2H), 7.30-7.37 (m, 3H), 7.45 (d, 2H), 7.59 (s, 1H), 7.79 (s, 1H), 7.89 (s, 1H).
