To a stirred suspension of NaH (155 mg, 6.47 mmol) in dry NMP (4 mL) was added 4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethylbenzonitrile (570 mg, 3.88 mmol), and the mixture was stirred at room temperature for 30 min under argon. The reaction mixture was added to a solution of 5-benzyl-4-chloro-5H-pyrrolo[3,2-d]pyrimidin-2-amine (400 mg, 1.55 mmol) in dry NMP (4 mL) and heated at 160° C. for 16 h. After completion of the reaction, the resulting mixture was diluted with water and washed with EtOAc. The combined organic layers were washed with water, 2% NaOH, brine, dried over Na2SO4, filtered, and concentrated in vacuo. The crude product was purified by column chromatography, eluting with hexanes/ethyl acetate (2:1-1:4) to give the product as a light yellow solid (342 mg, 60%).
