In a 1 L flask equipped with a stirrer, thermocouple, condenser and a nitrogen inlet, was placed nitrophenol (28 g, 201 mmol) in DMA (150 mL) and potassium carbonate powder (28.7 g, 207 mmol). 4-(Chloromethyl)-1-cyclopentyl-2-(trifluoromethyl)benzene (45.4 g, 173 mmol) was added and washed in with DMA (120 mL). The reaction was heated at 80° C. (bath, internal 77° C.) overnight. The mixture was cooled and poured into ice water (1 L). The solids formed were allowed to settle with stirring for 4 h and collected by filtration. The solid collected was stirred in sodium bicarbonate solution (300 mL), filtered, washed with water, and air dried. The pale yellow residue was washed with hexanes (250 mL) and the solids were dried in vacuum oven overnight to give the title compound (41.4 g, ˜85% pure by LC). LCMS m/z=366.2 [M+H]+.
