A mixture of 3-(5-bromo-pyridin-3-yl)-propionic acid methyl ester (155 mg), 2,3-dichlorobenzeneboronic acid (142 mg, 0.744 mmol), PdCl2(dppf).CH2Cl2 adduct (48.6 mg, 0.059 mmol) and Na2CO3 (2 M, 0.929 ml, 1.859 mmol) in DMF (5 ml) was heated at 100° C. After 40 min, solvent was removed in vacuo. The residue was purified via flash column (EtOAc/Heptane=0-20-25%, v/v) to give 3-[5-(2,3-Dichloro-phenyl)-pyridin-3-yl]-propionic acid methyl ester (101 mg, 0.326 mmol, 43% yield). ESI-MS m/z: 310[M+1]+; 1H NMR (CDCl3, 400 MHz) δ 2.71 (t, J=7.6 Hz, 2H), 3.05 (t, J=7.6 Hz, 2H), 3.70 (s, 3H), 7.23 (dd, J=7.6, 1.6 Hz, 1H), 7.30 (t, J=7.6 Hz, 1H), 7.53 (dd, J=7.6, 1.6 Hz, 1H), 7.63 (s, 1H), 8.52 (s, 2H).
