To a mixture of 4-methoxycarbonylphenyl isothiocyanate (82 mg, 0.5 mmol) and cyanamide (23 mg, 0.55 mmol) in acetonitrile (5 mL), a solution of potassium tert-butoxide (61 mg, 0.55 mmol) in tert-butanol (5 mL) was added. After 30 minutes at ambient temperature, 2-bromo-4′-methoxy-acetophenone (115 mg, 0.5 mmol) was added. After 2 hours at ambient temperature, the reaction mixture was diluted with water (50 mL). The product was collected by filtration, rinsed with water and ethyl ether, and dried under vacuum to furnish a yellow solid, 172 mg (90% yield).
