To a solution of (2-chloro-8-methylquinolin-3-yl)methanol (250 mg, 1.21 mmol) in DME (4 mL) and water (1 mL) was added 2-chloro-6-fluorophenylboronic acid (230 mg, 1.32 mmol), potassium phosphate tribasic (306 mg, 1.44 mmol), potassium hydrogenfluoride (188 mg, 2.4 mmol) and Pd(PPh3)4 (69 mg, 0.06 mmol). The reaction mixture was heated to 120° C. under microwave irradiation for 1 h. The product was diluted with EtOAc (30 mL) and washed with water (10 mL). The organic layer was separated, dried (MgSO4), filtered and concentrated in vacuo to give a yellow oil. Purification by column chromatography (SiO2, 0-50% EtOAc in heptane) followed by preparative HPLC (Method 1) gave a white solid. To a solution of this solid (150 mg) in DCM (7 mL) was added phosphorus tribromide (0.2 mL, 2.48 mmol). The mixture was stirred at r.t. for 3 h and partitioned between DCM (50 mL) and 10% aqueous K2CO3 solution (20 mL). The organic layer was separated, dried (MgSO4) and the solvent removed in vacuo to give a clear oil. To a solution of this oil in DMF (7 mL) was added K2CO3 (72 mg, 0.52 mmol) and 6-mercaptopurine (88 mg, 0.52 mmol) and the mixture stirred at r.t. for 18 h. The reaction mixture was diluted with EtOAc (100 mL) and washed with water (7×30 mL). The organic layer was separated, dried (MgSO4) and the solvent was removed in vacuo to give the title compound (102 mg, 19%) as a white solid. δH (DMSO-d6) 13.46 (br s, 1H), 8.64 (s, 1H), 8.57 (s, 1H), 8.41 (s, 1H), 7.89 (d, J 6 Hz, 1H), 7.65 (d, J 6 Hz, 1H), 7.56 (t, J 6 Hz, 1H), 7.40-7.50 (m, 2H), 7.24-7.30 (m, 1H), 4.64-4.72 (m, 2H), 2.64 (s, 3H). LCMS (ES+) 436.2 (M+H)+, RT 3.77 minutes (Method 3).
