To a solution of 2,2,2-trifluoro-N-[3-(4-iodophenyl)-propyl]acetamide (2.5 g) in 1,2-dimethoxyethane (15 ml) was added [4-(methoxycarbonyl)phenyl]boronic acid (1.51 g), tetrakis(triphenylphosphine)palladium (809 mg) and aqueous solution of sodium carbonate (2M, 7 ml), and the mixture was stirred at 75° C. for 10 hours under nitrogen. The mixture was diluted with ethyl acetate and water. The organic layer was separated, washed with brine, dried over magnesium sulfate and evaporated. The residue was purified by column chromatography on silica gel (hexane/ethyl acetate=2/1) to give methyl 4′-[3-[(trifluoroacetyl)amino]propyl]-1,1′-biphenyl-4-carboxylate (920 mg).
