step 2—A sealed tube containing 100 (150 mg, 0.36 mmol), 2-benzyloxy-pyridin-3-yl boronic acid (125 mg, 0.56 mmol), Na2CO3 (116 mg, 1.1 mmol) and Pd(PPh3)4 (42 mg, 0.036 mmol) in a mixture of MeOH (1.5 mL) and DCM (0.5 mL) was irradiated on a microwave synthesizer at 100° C. for 30 min. The reaction mixture was diluted with DCM, filtered through a pad of CELITE, and the filtrate was concentrated. The crude residue was purified on a preparative SiO2 TLC plate developed with 50% EtOAc/hexanes to afford 140 mg (84%) of (R)-1-[2-(2-benzyloxy-pyridin-3-yl)-4-tert-butyl-5-methoxy-benzyl]-5-oxo-pyrrolidine-2-carboxylic acid ethyl ester (102).
