Methyl iodide → N-(2-Methoxy-5-nitro-phenyl)-N-methyl-propionamide

To a stirred solution of 11.2 g (500 mmol) of (2) in 150 mL of anhydrous THF at 0° C. under the nitrogen, was added 3.0 g (75 mmol) of NaH (60% in oil). The suspension was stirred for 0.5 h at 0° C. and 10 mL (150 mmol) of iodomethane was added at 0° C. After the mixture warmed to room temperature and stirred for 3 h, the reaction was quenched by ice brine and extracted with EtOAc (200 mL). The organic phase was washed with brine, dried (Na2SO4), filtered, evaporated in vacuo and the solid was washed with hexane/EtOAc (9:1) to give pure product N-(2-Methoxy-5-nitro-phenyl)-N-methyl-propionamide (3) as a light yellow solid (11.3 g, 95% yield).