A solution of triphenylphosphine (21.55 g, 82 mmol) and (R)—N-(2-(6-bromo-3-fluoro-4-(triethylsilyl)pyridin-2-yl)-2-hydroxypropyl)-4-nitrobenzenesulfonamide (37.56 g, 69 mmol) in 510 ml THF was cooled to 4° C. A solution of diethyl azodicarboxylate in toluene (40% by weight, 38.8 g, 89 mmol) was added in a dropwise while maintaining the temperature below 10° C. The cooling bath was removed and the rm was stirred at rt for 1 h. The reaction mixture was diluted with approx. 1000 ml toluene and THF was removed by evaporation at the rotavap. The resulting toluene solution of crude product was pre-purified on a silca gel column by eluting with hexanes/5-17% EtOAc. Purest fractions were combined, evaporated and crystallized from TBME/hexane to yield 29.2 g of the title compound as white crystals. HPLC: RtH11=2.546 min; ESIMS: 530, 532 [(M+H)+, 1 Br]; 1H-NMR (400 MHz, CDCl3): 8.40 (d, 2H), 8.19 (d, 2H), 7.39 (d, 1H), 3.14 (s, 1H), 3.02 (s, 1H), 2.01 (s, 3H) 1.03-0.83 (m, 15H); α[D]-35.7° (c=0.97, DCM).
