To a solution of 3,4-bis(benzyloxy)-6-chloropyridazine (Intermediate 1) (1 g, 3.06 mmol), dicyclohexyl(2′,4′,6′-triisopropylbiphenyl-2-yl)phosphine (0.117 g, 0.245 mmol) and palladium (II) acetate (0.027 g, 0.122 mmol) in tetrahydrofuran (6.12 ml) under nitrogen was added (4-fluorobenzyl)zinc(II) bromide (9.18 ml, 4.59 mmol) and the resulting red/brown mixture was heated at 65° C. for 24 hours. The reaction mixture was cooled, diluted with ethyl acetate and washed with saturated aqueous sodium bicarbonate solution, saturated ammonium chloride solution and brine. The organics were dried (MgSO4), filtered and solvent removed in vacuo to give a brown oil. The oil was purified by silica chromatography (eluting with 0-100% ethyl acetate in petrol) to yield the title compound (663 mg, 1.61 mmol, 97% yield).
