To a solution of 4-hydroxy-2-(1H-pyrazol-1-yl)pyrimidine-5-carboxylic acid, 2-c, (1 g, 4.85 mmol) in DMF (40 ml) was added K2CO3 (2.34 g, 16.98 mmol) and benzyl bromide (1.83 g, 10.67 mmol). The mixture was heated at 70° C. for 16 hours. The solution was then cooled to room temperature and diluted with water followed by extraction with ethyl acetate. The combined organic layer was washed with water, dried over sodium sulfate and concentrated under vacuum to provide the crude product, 2-d, as a solid (1.2 g).
