To a solution of ethyl 4,6-dichloro-2-(methylthio)pyrimidine-5-carboxylate (47.0 g, 175.94 mmol) in DMF (470 mL) and diisopropylethylamine (100.43 mL, 582.7 mmol) was added ethyl 3-(phenylamino)propanoate (31.0 g, 160.4 mmol). The reaction mixture was heated to 100° C. and stirred for 7 h. Upon completion of the reaction (monitored by TLC), DMF was evaporated under reduced pressure and water (250 mL) was then added. The reaction mixture was extracted using EtOAc (200 mL×3). The combined organic layer was washed with water (500 mL×2), brine (500 mL), dried over anhydrous sodium sulphate, filtered and concentrated under reduced pressure to give a residue. The residue was purified by silica gel column chromatography (using 0-20% Ethyl acetate in hexane) to afford ethyl 4-chloro-6-((3-ethoxy-3-oxopropyl)(phenyl)amino)-2-(methylthio)pyrimidine-5-carboxylate (55 g, 80.8% yield). 1H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl3): δ 7.38 (t, J=8.0 Hz, 2H), 7.31 (d, J=7.6 Hz, 1H), 7.18 (d, J=7/2 Hz, 2H), 4.26 (t, J=7.6 Hz, 2H), 4.05 (q, J=7.2 Hz, 2H), 3.47 (q, J=7.2 Hz, 2H), 2.68 (t, J=7.6 Hz, 2H), 2.54 (s, 3H), 1.19 (t, J=7.2 Hz, 3H), 1.08 (t, J=7.2 Hz, 3H). LCMS [M+H]; 424
