Dichloromethane (5 mL) was added to 2-[2-(2,2,2-trifluoro-ethylamino)-ethoxy]-isoindole-1,3-dione (0.46 g, 1.6 mmol) and the resultant solution was cooled to 0° C. Methylhydrazine (0.086 mL, 1.62 mmol) was added and the resultant solution was stirred at ambient temperature for 1 h. Ether (20 mL) was added and the precipitate was filtered and the filtrate was concentrated in vacuo. Dimethylformamide (5 mL) was added and the resultant solution was treated sequentially with 3,4-difluoro-2-(4-iodo-2-methyl-phenylamino)-benzoic acid pentafluorophenyl ester (0.847 g, 1.51 mmol) and diisopropylethylamine (0.60 mL, 3.4 mmol). The resultant reaction mixture was stirred overnight, diluted with ethyl acetate and washed with water (4×) and saturated brine, dried over magnesium sulfate and concentrated in vacuo. Purification by silica gel chromatography (hexanes-ethyl acetate, 1:1) afforded 3,4-difluoro-2-(4-iodo-2-methyl-phenylamino)-N-[2-(2,2,2-trifluoro-ethylamino)-ethoxy]-benzamide (0.70 g, 83% yield) as a waxy foam: 1H NMR (400 MHz, Acetone-d6) δ 10.98 (br s, 1H), 8.69 (br s, 1H), 7.52 (br s, 2H), 7.39 (dd, J=8.6 Hz, 2.0 Hz, 1H), 7.00 (m, 1H), 6.55 (dd, J=8.6 Hz, 6.4 Hz, 1H), 3.27 (q, J=10.0 Hz, 2H), 2.90 (br t, J=4.9 Hz, 2H), 2.82 (br s, 2H), 2.30 (s, 3H); 19F NMR (376 MHz, Acetone-d6) δ −73.1 (t, J=10.0 Hz, 3F), −133.8 (s, 1F), −143.2 (s, 1F); MS (APCI+)=530.0.
