Methyl iodide → 2-[(Methylsulfanyl)methyl]-1,1'-biphenyl

A mixture of biphenyl-2-yl-methanethiol (4 g, 20 mmol) in methanol (27 mL) and sodium methoxide in methanol (0.5 M, 40 mL) was heated at 60° C. for 0.5 h, cooled, treated with methyl iodide (3.7 mL, 60 mmol) and re-heated at 60° C. for 0.5 h. After cooling to room temperature, the reaction mixture was quenched with ice-water, acidified (pH˜2) and extracted with ethyl acetate (3×50 mL). Combined organic layer was washed with water (1×50 mL) and brine (1×50 mL), dried (MgSO4), and concentrated to give a crude product that was passed through a bed of silica (solvent: ethyl acetate) to give 3.3 g of 2-methylsulfanylmethyl-biphenyl (yellow oil) that was directly used in the next step.