0.60 g (4.16 mmol) of N-ethylheptanamine and 0.50 g (2.08 mmol) of 1-[4-[(methylsulfonyl)amino]benzoyl]aziridine are dissolved in 10 mL of acetonitrile and the solution is warmed to 50° C. for 48 hours. The reaction is monitored by thin-layer chromatography (silica gel (EM); acetonitrile:conc. ammonium hydroxide (90:10)). After 48 hours, the reaction mixture is evaporated and the resultant solid is dissolved in 20 mL of methylene chloride. This solution is extracted with 2×10 mL of 1N aq. sodium hydroxide. The aqueous extract is acidified to pH=1 with 6N aq. hydrochloric acid and extracted with 2×15 mL of methylene chloride. The combined organic extracts are neutralized with saturated aqueous sodium bicarbonate and washed with 10 mL of water. The organic layer is dried over sodium sulfate, filtered and evaporated on a rotary evaporator to provide an oil. This oil is dissolved in 20 mL of 50% aqueous methanol and titrated to pH=4.5 with 0.1N aq. phosphoric acid. This solution is evaporated on the rotary evaporator and residual water is removed by azeotroping with 20 mL of alcohol. This residue is crystallized from 8 mL of reagent alcohol to provide the title compound.
