To a solution of 2-chloro-6-methoxypyridine (1.966 g, 3.750 mmol) and commercially available (3S)-pyrrolidin-3-ol (1.437 g, 16.50 mmol) in tetrahydrofuran/methanol (137 mL/6.7 mL), was added Pd2(dba)3 (62.2 mg, 0.0688 mmol), BippyPhos (139.2 mg, 0.2750 mmol) and potassium hydroxide (1.16 g, 20.6 mmol, 88% pellets). The reaction was then was purged with nitrogen for 2 minutes and stirred at 70° C. for 18 hours. The reaction was filtered, quenched with saturated ammonium chloride solution, adjusted to pH=7˜8 with 1N hydrochloric acid and extracted with dichloromethane (100 mL*2) and ethyl acetate (100 mL*3). The combined organic phase was washed with saturated brine, dried over sodium sulfate and evaporated in vacuo. The residue was then purified by silica gel chromatography with ethyl acetate/petroleum ether, 0-25% to give the title compound (1.65 g, 62%) as a yellow gum that was used without further purification.
