To a solution of 1-(3-diethylaminopropyl)-3-[4-(2-fluoro-4-nitrophenoxy)pyridin-2-yl]-1-methylurea (503 mg, 1.20 mmol) in methanol (40 ml)-tetrahydrofuran (20 ml) was added 10% palladium carbon (200 mg), followed by stirring under a hydrogen atmosphere at room temperature for 12 hrs. The catalyst was filtered and washed with methanol. The filtrate was concentrated under a reduced pressure to give a residue, which was then purified by silica gel column chromatography (Fuji Silysia NH, ethyl acetate, then ethyl acetate:methanol=10:1) to provide the titled compound (467 mg, 85.6%) as a yellow oil.
