To a 2 L round bottom flask attached with condenser column and magnetic stir bar was added 1-(4-Bromo-2-chloro-phenyl)-2-(2,6-dichloro-phenyl)-1H-imidazole-4-carboxylic acid ethyl ester (21.1 g, 44.5 mmol), 3-methylsulfonylphenyl boronic acid (9.78 g, 48.9 mmol), PdCl2dppf (1.09 g, 3 mol %), K2CO3 (18.9 g, 137 mmol), 1,2-dimethoxyethane (250 mL) and H2O (50 mL). The reaction solution was allowed to stir at 80° C. for 2.5 hrs. The reaction solution was diluted with EtOAc (150 mL) and filtered through a Celite padded Buchner funnel to remove spent Pd. The filtrate was transferred to a separatory funnel and washed with aq NH4Cl (300 mL) and aq NaCl (200 mL). The organic phase was dried over Na2SO4, filtered, concentrated on the rotavapor and chromatographed through a 300 g SiO2 column using a mobile phase gradient of 3% EtOAc to 100% EtOAc to afford 19.3 g (79% yield) of the title compound. MS (ESI) 549.3, 551.3, 553.3 [M+H]+.
