1-Ethyl-3-(3′-dimethylaminopropyl)-carbodiimide hydrochloride (EDCI, 157 mg) was added to a solution of 6-hexyl-1-naphthoic acid (161 mg, 0.63 mmol) and isopropyl 2-(3-aminophenoxy)acetate (131 mg, 0.63 mmol) in CH2Cl2 (6.3 mL) and the solution was stirred at room temperature overnight. The reaction was concentrated in vacuo, diluted with water (25 mL) and extracted with EtOAc (2×25 mL). The combined organic phase was washed with 1 N aqueous HCl (20 mL), saturated aqueous NaHCO3 (20 mL) and brine (20 mL), then dried (Na2SO4), filtered and concentrated in vacuo. The crude residue was purified on 40 g silica (100% hexanes→100% EtOAc, gradient) to afford 65 mg (23%) of isopropyl 2-(3-(6-Hexyl-1-naphthamido)phenoxy)acetate.
