A solution of 1,1-dimethylethyl (3S)-3-[(1-methylethyl)amino]pyrrolidine-1-carboxylate (0.34 g, 1.5 mmol) and 2-(trifluoromethyl)-5-fluorobenzyl bromide (0.58 g, 2.25 mmol) in acetonitrile (5 mL) was heated at reflux with anhydrous potassium carbonate (0.41 g, 3 mmol) for 24 hours. The reaction mixture was cooled, diluted with ethyl acetate and washed with water. The organic extracts were washed with brine, dried (MgSO4), filtered and evaporated in vacuo to give an oil. This was purified by flash chromatography on silica, eluting with ethyl acetate/cyclohexane (0:100 to 10:90), to give the title compound as an oil.
