4-Dimethylaminopyridine (12.1 mg) and dibenzotriazol-1-yl oxalate (9.2 mg, 27.4 μmol) were added to a solution of 3,4-difluoro-2-(2-fluoro-4-iodo-phenylamino)-N-(2-hydroxy-ethoxy)-5-[(2-hydroxy-ethylamino)-methyl]-benzamide (15.9 mg, 30.2 μmol) obtained in Step B (or Step B′) of Example 72 in anhydrous N,N-dimethylformamide (1.5 ml) at room temperature. The mixture was stirred at room temperature for 2 hours. Water (6 ml) and 1 N hydrochloric acid (0.5 ml) were added, and the reaction mixture was extracted with ethyl acetate (2×10 ml). The combined organic layers were washed with saturated brine (8 ml), dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate, and concentrated under reduced pressure. The residue was purified with a preparative silica gel plate (No. 5744, Merck, CH2Cl2/MeOH (10:1) as a developing solvent) to give 5-(2,3-dioxo-morpholin-4-ylmethyl)-3,4-difluoro-2-(2-fluoro-4-iodo-phenylamino)-N-(2-hydroxy-ethoxy)-benzamide (Compound H-7, 1.0 mg, 6% yield).
