4-Chloro-3-Fluorobenzaldehyde → (Z)-3-(3-chloro-4-fluoro-phenyl)-2-(4-chloro-2-fluoro-phenyl)-acrylonitrile

In a manner similar to the method described in Example 1b, 4-chloro-2-fluorophenylacetonitrile (3.3 g, 19 mmol) was reacted with 4-chloro-3-fluoro-benzaldehyde (Aldrich) (3.65 g, 23 mmol), methanolic solution (25 wt %) of sodium methoxide (4.8 mL, 21 mmol) in methanol (90 mL) at 50° C. for 3 h to give (Z)-3-(3-chloro-4-fluoro-phenyl)-2-(4-chloro-2-fluoro-phenyl)-acrylonitrile as a white powder (3 g, 50%).