To a suspension of 2-(3-(6-bromopyridin-2-yl)-1-(2-fluorobenzyl)-1H-1,2,4-triazol-5-yl)thiazole (I-19) and copper(I) oxide (0.2 eq) in ethylene glycol-dioxane (4:1) in a sealed tube was added ammonium hydroxide solution (˜29% in water, ˜30 eq). The resultant mixture was warmed to 100° C. and stirred at that temperature for 24 h. The reaction solution was cooled to rt, poured into 1N NaOH solution and then extracted with EtOAc. The organic phases were dried over Na2SO4, filtered and conc. The crude product was purified using SiO2 chromatography and an appropriate gradient (EtOAc/hexanes) to give 6-(1-(2-fluorobenzyl)-5-(thiazol-2-yl)-1H-1,2,4-triazol-3-yl)pyridin-2-amine as a white solid (I-14, 69% yield).
