To a solution of 7-cyano-2-bromo-4-oxo-4,5-dihydrothieno[3,2-c]-pyridine (2.0 g, 7.84 mmol) in DMF (40 mL) and water (15 mL) was added 4-t-butylphenyl boronic acid (2.1 g, 11.8 mmol), potassium carbonate (1.4 g, 10.1 mmol) and [1,1′-bis(diphenylphosphino)ferrocene]dichloropalladium(II), complex with dichloromethane (1:1) (0.192 g, 0.23 mmol). The resulting mixture was stirred under nitrogen for 4 h at 80° C. After this time the mixture was diluted with DMF (20 mL), filtered through celite to remove palladium residues and water (100 mL) added. The precipitated solid was filtered, washed thoroughly with water and dried in air by suction at room temperature providing 1.4 g of 100 which was used without further analysis or purification.
