A mixture of 6-chloro-5-methyl-4-(methylamino)nicotinaldehyde (3.11 g, 16.8 mmol), methyl 2-(3,5-dimethoxyphenyl)acetate (4.25 g, 20.2 mmol) and potassium carbonate (2.8 g, 20.3 mmol) in N,N-dimethylformamide (100 mL) was stirred at 105° C. overnight. LCMS monitored the reaction was completed. The reaction mixture was cooled to RT and quenched by water. The precipitate was filtered and dried to get the title compound (5.5 g, crude) as a yellow solid. MS (ES+) C18H17ClN2O3 requires: 344, 346. found: 345, 347 [M+H]+.
