3-(2-(4-Pyridyl)ethyl)indole → N,N-dimethyl-4,4-bis(3-(2-(pyridin-4-yl)ethyl)-1H-indol-2-yl)-1-(thiophen-2-yl)cyclohexanamine

3-(2-pyridin-4-ylethyl)-1H-indole (667 mg, 3 mmol, synthesis cf. WO2008009415, indole unit Ind-14) together with 4-(dimethylamino)-4-(thiophen-2-yl)cyclohexanone (671 mg, 3 mmol, synthesis cf. WO2008009415, ketone unit Ket-12) was dissolved in abs. dichloromethane (45 ml) and mixed with trifluoromethane sulphonic acid (0.660 ml, 7.43 mmol). The batch was stirred for 64 h at RT, and a brown oil separated out. For work up the reaction solution was mixed with 1N NaOH (30 ml) and methanol (10 ml). The mixture was stirred a further 60 min. After separation of the phases the aqueous phase was extracted with dichloromethane (3×10 ml). The combined organic extracts were dried over Na2SO4 and then concentrated to low volume. The raw product obtained (1.33 g) was purified by column chromatography [silica gel 60 (100 g); ethyl acetate/methanol 10:1, (1650 ml), ethyl acetate/methanol (5:1, (600 ml)].