To a solution of 2-oxo-N-(1-oxo-1,3-dihydroisobenzofuran-4-yl)-2-phenylacetamide (5 g, 11.7 mmol) in DMF (48 mL) was added NaH (0.78 g, 19.5 mmol). The solution was stirring at room temperature for 1.5 hr, followed by the addition of 1-(chloromethyl)-4-methoxy-benzene (2.8 mL). After stirred at 30° C. overnight, the resulting mixture was added water and adjusted to pH=3-4 with 0.5 N aq. HCl. Then ethyl acetate was added, concentrated and filtered, the filtrate was washed by ethyl acetate, the combine ethyl acetate layer was washed with brine, dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate, concentrated, and purified by flash chromatography on silica gel to obtain the desired compound (4.7 g, yield 66%). LC-MS (ESI) m/z: 402 (M+1)+. 1H-NMR (400 MHz, DMSO-d) δ (ppm): 3.73 (s, 3H), 4.83-5.17 (m, 4H), 6.89-6.91 (d, J=8.8 Hz, 2H), 7.18-7.20 (m, 2H), 7.24-7.26 (m, 1H), 7.38-7.42 (t, 1H), 7.52-7.56 (m, 2H), 7.69-7.71 (m, 1H), 7.75-7.81 (m, 3H).
