To a solution of 5.75 g (26.7 mmol) of 6-chloro-2-methoxy-4-methyl-nicotinic acid methyl ester in 250 ml of DMF was added 10.13 g (53.3 mmol) of 3-trifluoromethyl-phenyl-boronic acid followed by 50.0 ml of a solution of tribasic potassium phosphate (2 M in water). Finally, 1.54 g (1.3 mmol) of tetrakis-(triphenylphosphine)-palladium was added and the reaction mixture was subsequently warmed up to 80° C. After 5 hours, it was cooled down to RT, poured into crashed ice and extracted twice with CH2Cl2; the organic phases were washed with water, dried over magnesium sulfate, filtered and evaporated. The residue was purified by flash column chromatography (heptane/EtOAc 1:0 to 9:1) to give 8.54 g (98%) of the title compound as light yellow oil. MS: 326.1 (MH+).
