4-Trifluoromethylphenylboronic acid (0.815 g, 4.29 mmol) was added to a solution of 5-Bromo-3-chloro-2-methoxy-benzoic acid methyl ester (1.0 g, 3.57 mmol), Pd(PPh3)4 (0.2 g, 0.178 mmol) and CsF (1.08 g, 7.15 mmol) in DME (10 mL ) and heated at 85° C. for 10 h. The reaction was diluted with EtOAc (20 mL) and filtered, filtrate was washed water, brine and dried over Na2SO4. Solvent was removed under reduced pressure and the silicagel column chromatography gave pure 5-Chloro-4-methoxy-4′-trifluoromethyl-biphenyl-3-carboxylic acid methyl ester (0.94 g).
