To a solution of 2-bromo-5-methylpyridine (1.24 g, 7 mmol), Pd(PPh3)4 (226 mg, 0.2 mmol) and K3PO4 (2.76 g, 13 mmol) in DME/H2O (5 ml/1 ml) was added 3-nitro-5-(4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-[1,3,2]dioxaborolan-2-yl)-benzoic acid methyl ester (2.00 g, 6.5 mmol) under N2 atmosphere. The mixture was subjected to microwave radiation at 130° C. for 0.5 hours. The reaction mixture was cooled and solvent was evaporated under reduced pressure. The residue was purified by flash-chromatography (CH2Cl2/MeOH) to give 3-(5-methyl-pyridin-2-yl)-5-nitro-benzoic acid methyl ester as a white solid (700 mg, 40%).
