A mixture of ethyl 2,4-diiodo-1,3-oxazole-5-carboxylate (0.37 g, 0.93 mmol), N-[5-methyl-4-(trimethylstannyl)pyridine-2-yl]acetamide (0.32 g, 1.0 mmol), tetrakis(triphenylphosphine)palladium(0) (0.054 g, 0.047 mmol), copper(I) iodide (0.053 g, 0.28 mmol) and lithium chloride (0.12 g, 2.8 mmol) in 1,4-dioxane (9 mL) was degassed with argon three times. The mixture was allowed to stir at 100° C. for 2 h under an atmosphere of argon and was then filtered while hot. The reaction mixture was concentrated and the residue was purified by column chromatography to give ethyl 2-[2-(acetylamino)-5-methylpyridin-4-yl]-4-iodo-1,3-oxazole-5-carboxylate (0.16 g, 42%).
