To a stirred solution of crude ethyl 2-chloro-3-(2-chlorophenyl)-3-oxopropanoate (1.390 g, 5.320 mmol) in absolute isopropyl alcohol (50.00 mL) was added N-[4-(aminocarbonothioyl)pyridin-2-yl]acetamide (1.140 g, 5.860 mmol) and the resulting solution was fitted with a condenser and stirred for 23 h at 94° C. The mixture was cooled to ambient temperature and half the solvent was removed in vacuo. Diethyl ether (30.0 mL) was added to allow the formation of the thioamide by-product. The by-product was separated by filtration and the solvent was removed in vacuo. The residue was purified by column chromatography (SiO2, elution with 0-100% EtOAc in hexanes) to provide 0.457 g of product as a yellow oil (21% 2 steps). LC/MS (AA) ES+ 402. NMR (400 MHz, d1 CDCl3) δ: 8.77 (br s, 1H), 8.37-8.35 (m, 1H), 7.71-7.70 (m, 1H), 7.50-7.46 (m, 2H), 7.41-7.46 (m, 3H), 4.24 (q, J=7.2 Hz, 2H), 2.24 (s, 3H), 1.26 (t, J=7.2 Hz, 3H).
