A mixture of 2-methyl-N-[3-(4-piperidinyl)phenyl]propanamide (28.3 mg, 0.100 mmol), 4-phenyl-1-chlorobutane (21.1 mg, 0.125 mmol), diisopropylethylamine (0.50 mL), catalytic amount of tetrabutylammonium iodide and dioxane (2.0 mL) was heated at reflux temperature for 3 days. The reaction mixture was concentrated and chromatographed using preparative TLC plates [2.5% of NH3 (2.0 M in methanol) in CHCl3] afforded the product, 2-methyl-N-{3-[1-(4-phenylbutyl)-4-piperidinyl]phenyl}propanamide (9.50 mg, 25.1% yield) as a thick oil: 1H NMR δ 7.37 (s, 1H), 7.29 (apparent d, 1H, J=7.9 Hz), 7.18 (m, 3H), 7.11 (m, 3H), 6.90 (apparent d, 1H, J=7.9 Hz), 3.02 (d, 2H, J=6.8 Hz), 2.41 (m, 4H, partially hidden), 2.01 (m, 2H), 1.78 (m, 4H), 1.57 (m, 4H), 1.18 (d, 6H, J=7.7 Hz); ESMS m/e: 379.4 (M+H)+.
