To a solution of 2-((4-fluoro-3-nitrophenoxy)methyl)quinoline (298 mg, 1 mmol) and 4-(aminomethyl)benzonitrile (132 mg, 1 mmol) in acetonitrile (1 mL) was added DIPEA (2 mL, 12 mmol). The mixture was stirred at 80° C. overnight. The mixture was cooled to RT, water (20 mL) was added, and the mixture was extracted with DCM (3×20 mL). The organics were combined, washed with brine (20 mL), dried (Na2SO4), filtered and concentrated to dryness. The residue was recrystallized from ethanol to give 4-((2-nitro-4-(quinolin-2-ylmethoxy)phenylamino)methyl)benzonitrile. The recrystallized 4-((2-nitro-4-(quinolin-2-ylmethoxy)phenylamino)methyl)benzonitrile (307 mg, 0.75 mmol) was then dissolved in ethanol (20 mL) and SnCl2.2H2O (1 g, 4.5 mmol) was added. The resulting mixture was stirred at 90° C. overnight. The mixture was cooled to RT and the pH adjusted to ˜pH 8-9 by the addition of sat. aq. NaHCO3. The aqueous mixture was stirred at RT for 30 min. and then extracted with DCM (3×20 mL). The organics were combined, washed with brine (20 mL), dried (Na2SO4), filtered and concentrated to dryness to afford the title compound, which was used without further purification. MS (ESI): mass calcd. for C24H20N4O, 380.16; m/z found, 381.0 [M+H]+.
