110.7 mg (0.38 mmol) 4-(3′-Benzylphenyl)-3-(S)-isopropyl-piperazine (88a), 123.5 mg (0.62 mmol, 1.65 eq.) 1-Bromo-2-isopropyl-benzene 11.7 mg (12.7 μmol, 0.034 eq.) Pd2(dba)3, 7.4 mg (19.3 μmol, 0.05 eq.) 2-Diphenylphosphino-2′-dimethylamino-biphenyl and 87.3 mg (0.91 mmol, 2.42 eq.) NaOt-Bu were dissolved in 5 ml dry toluene. The resulting mixture was heated under N2 at 80° C. for 15.5 h. After cooling to room temperature the mixture was diluted with ether and washed with brine. The comb. org. fractions were dried over Na2SO4 and evaporated. Column chromatography (hexanes/EtOAc (9+1)) yielded 96.5 mg (0.23 mmol, 62.20%) 1-(3-Benzyl-phenyl)-2-(S)-isopropyl-4-(2-isopropyl-phenyl)-piperazine (89) as a clear oil.
