2-(3-Formyl-2-methoxy-phenoxy)-4-methoxy-benzonitrile (0.38 g, 1.3 mmol), methylamine (2M in methanol, 3.0 mL, 6.0 mmol) and sodium cyanoborohydride (10 mg, 1.8 mmol) were stirred at ambient temperature in a 1% acetic acid/methanol solution (50 mL) for 17 h. The solvent was removed in vacuo. The residue was treated with 10% sodium carbonate solution and extracted with ethyl acetate. The ethyl acetate layer was separated and fumaric acid (0.15 g, 1.3 mmol) was added. After the solvent was removed in vacuo, the residue was triturated with ethyl acetate overnight, collected by filtration, and dried to give 4-methoxy-2-(2-methoxy-3-methylaminomethyl-phenoxy)-benzonitrile fumarate (326 mg, 58%) as an off-white solid.
