To a stirred solution of dimethyl 4-(trifluoromethylsulfonyloxy)isophthalate 66.13B (1.00 g, 2.9 mmol) in DMF (5.8 mL) at 23° C. was added 2,5-difluorophenylboronic acid (0.69 g, 4.4 mmol) (commercially available from Aldrich), and potassium carbonate (1.2 g, 8.8 mmol). Tetrakis(triphenylphosphine)palladium (0.24 g, 0.20 mmol) was then added to the mixture. The mixture was heated to 90° C. and was stirred for 17 hours. The reaction was then cooled to room temperature, diluted with brine and extracted three times with EtOAc. After drying over anhydrous magnesium sulfate and filtering, the organic solvent was removed under reduced pressure and the product was then purified on silica gel (0-10% EtOAc in hexanes) to yield 83.27A as a colorless oil (0.800 g, 89% yield).
