A solution of 3-{[3-(aminomethyl)-6-chloro-2-fluorophenyl]oxy}-5-bromobenzonitrile (0.20 g, 0.56 mmol), sodium formate (0.057 g, 0.84 mmol) and Pd(Ph3P)4 (0.032 g, 0.028 mmol) in DMF (1.13 ml) was heated at 100° C. for 6 h. Water was added and the mixture was extracted with EtOAc. The organic phase was dried (Na2SO4), filtered, and dried to afford 3-{[3-(aminomethyl)-6-chloro-2-fluorophenyl]oxy}benzonitrile, which was used without further purification. The above amine (0.28 mmol) and 4-chloro-2-methyl-1H-imidazole-5-carboxylic acid (0.040 g, 0.25 mmol) were employed in a similar process described herein to prepare the title compound (0.042 g, 40%) as a white solid after purification by Reverse-Phase HPLC (water:acetonitrile with 0.1% TFA) followed by neutralization. 1H NMR (400 MHz, CHLOROFORM-d) δ ppm 11.89 (br. s., 1H), 7.32-7.45 (m, 2H), 7.12-7.31 (m, 4 H), 7.08 (s, 1H), 4.70 (d, J=5.91 Hz, 2H), 2.37 (s, 3H). ES-LCMS: m/z 419.0, 421.0 (M+1).
