Under nitrogen, to 2-fluoro-6-nitrobenzamide (921 mg, 5.00 mmol, 1.00 equiv) in dioxane (5.0 mL) at 23° C. was added palladium acetate (225 mg, 1.00 mmol, 0.200 equiv), Xantphos (868 mg, 1.50 mmol, 0.300 equiv), cesium carbonate (2.28 g, 7.00 mmol, 1.40 equiv), and 1-bromo-3-(2,2,2-trifluoroethyl)benzene (1.31 g, 5.50 mmol, 1.10 equiv). After stirring for 16 hr at 100° C., the reaction mixture was concentrated in vacuo and the residue was purified by column chromatography eluting with EtOAc/hexanes to afford 860 mg of the title compound (50% yield).
