A mixture of methyl [o-(5-hydroxy-2-nitrophenoxy)phenoxy]acetate (1.9 g, 5.9 mmol), 2,3-di-chloro-5-(trifluoromethyl)pyridine (1.92 g, 8.9 mmol) and potassium carbonate (1.23 g, 8.9 mmol) in N,N-di-methylformamide is heated at 100° C. for 12 hours, cooled to room temperature, poured into water and extracted with ether. The organic extract is washed with brine, dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate and concentrated in vacuo to obtain a yellow oil. Flash chromatography of the oil using silica gel and a (1:4) ethyl acetate/hexanes solution gives the title product as a yellow liquid (0.8 g) which is identified by 1HNMR and 13CNMR spectral analyses.
