To a stirred solution of 2,4-difluoro-3-[[3-(3-fluorophenyl)phenyl]methylamino]phenol (250 mg, 0.76 mmol, 1.0 eq) in acetone (3 mL) was added Cs2CO3 (297 mg, 0.912 mmol, 1.2 eq). The resulting mixture was stirred for 40 min at room temperature then ethyl bromoacetate (139.4 mg, 0.84 mmol, 1.1 eq) was added. The resulting mixture was stirred overnight then partitioned against water and extracted with EtOAc. The combined organic extracts were washed with water and brine, dried (Na2SO4) and evaporated in vacuo. The residue was purified by column chromatography (petroleum ether:EtOAc 1:0 to 20:1) to give the title compound as an oil (270 mg, 86%).
