To a suspension of 2-bromobenzonitrile (1.5 g, 8.2 mmol), aniline (1.1 g, 12.4 mmol), Xantphos (0.7 g, 1.2 mmol) and cesium carbonate (5.4 g, 16.5 mmol) in dioxane (50 mL) was added Pd2dba3 (375 mg, 0.4 mmol) at rt under N2. The reaction was stirred at 90° C. for 8 h. The reaction mixture was filtered and concentrated. Purification by silica gel chromatography (PE:EtOAc=200:1) gave 1.3 g (81%) of the title compound as a yellow oil. 1H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl3): δ 6.36 (1H, br s), 6.86 (1H, td, J=0.9, 7.8 Hz), 7.13-7.18 (4H, m), 7.36-7.41 (3H, m), 7.51 (1H, dd, J=1.8, 7.8 Hz).
