3-Bromodiphenyl ether → 5-(3-phenoxy-phenyl)-3,4-dihydro-2H-pyrrole

To a cold solution (−78° C.) of 1-bromo-3-phenoxy-benzene (10.13 g, 40.6 mmol) in anhydrous THF (100 mL) and under nitrogen is added n-BuLi (1.6M, 44.7 mmol, 27 mL). The mixture is allowed to stir for 30 minutes before being added to a cold solution (−78° C.) of 1-(tert-Butoxycarbonyl)-2-pyrrolidinone in anhydrous THF (50 mL) under nitrogen via cannula. The resulting mixture is allowed to warm to room temperature overnight before being quenched with water (200 mL) and extracted with EtOAc (3×100 mL). The organics were collected, dried over Na2SO4, filtered and concentrated under reduced pressures. The residue is dissolved in CH2Cl2 (20 mL) and TFA (10 mL) is added with stirring. The mixture is stirred for 30 minutes and quenched over ice cold sat. NaHCO3, extracted with CH2Cl2 (3×100 mL) and the organics were combined, dried over Na2SO4, filtered and concentrated under reduced pressures. The residue is purified by silica gel column chromatography (20% EtOAc/Hexanes) to give 5-(3-phenoxy-phenyl)-3,4-dihydro-2H-pyrrole as light yellow oil (6.1 g, 63%). LCMS m/z 238 (M+1).