To a stirred solution of (E)-3-(4-bromo-phenyl)-3-phenyl-1-pyridin-4-yl-propan-1-one oxime (example 5, 10 mg), (3-methylsulfonylphenyl)boronic acid (58 mg), tetrakis-(triphenylphosphine)palladium (0) (30 mg) in 1,2-dimethoxyethane (2 mL) was added potassium carbonate (90 mg). The mixture was stirred at 80° C. overnight. Water was added, the phases were separated and the inorganic one was extracted with diethyl ether (2×). The combined organic layers were washed with brine, dried over Na2SO4, filtered and concentrated in vacuo. The crude product was purified by flash chromatography on silica gel (EtOAc/n-heptane 2:1 to EtOAc) to yield (E)-3-(3′-methanesulfonyl-biphenyl-4-yl)-3-phenyl-1-pyridin-4-yl-propan-1-one oxime (21 mg, 18%) as a light yellow foam, MS (ESI+): m/z=457.2 ([M+H]+).
