To a solution of 5-bromo-1-(phenylacetyl)indoline (15.98 g) and 4-(4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-1,3,2-dioxaborolan-2-yl)pyridine (12.4 g) in 1,2-dimethoxyethane (500 mL) were added [1,1′-bis-(diphenylphosphino)ferrocene]dichloropalladium(II), complex with dichloromethane (1.24 g) and potassium phosphate (32.2 g) at ambient temperature and the mixture was stirred at 100° C. for 60 hours. The mixture was evaporated in vacuo to remove 1,2-dimethoxyethane and the residue was dissolved in a mixture of ethyl acetate (600 mL) and water (300 mL). The separated organic layer was washed with brine, dried over magnesium sulfate, and evaporated in vacuo. The residue was purified by column chromatography on silica gel eluting with ethyl acetate to give 1-(phenylacetyl)-5-(4-pyridinyl)indoline (8.02 g) as a white powder.
