Propane thiol (88 mg, 1.16 mmol) was dissolved in DMF (5 mL) and treated at ambient temperature with a 1M solution of NaHMDS in THF (1.16 mL). After stirring for 15 min the clear solution was added to a suspension of methyl 4-[5-chloro-4-(cyclohexylcarbamoyl)pyrazol-1-yl]benzoate (Intermediate #15) (378 mg, 1.05 mmol) in DMF (10 mL). Stirring was continued at ambient temperature for 2 h and then the reaction mixture was diluted with ethyl acetate (100 mL), washed with water (4×25 mL) and dried (MgSO4). Volatiles were removed by evaporation under reduced pressure to give a clear oil which was purified by chromatography on silica gel, eluting with an ethyl acetate/hexane gradient (0-50%) to give the title compound as a white solid. (363 mg, 86%)
