A mixture of 1-[3-(2-chloro-ethoxy)-5-methoxy-2-nitro-phenylmethanesulfonyl]-naphthalene (1.0 g, 2.5 mmoles) in ethanol (25 mL) was stirred under nitrogen in a round bottom flask at 60° C. 10% Pd/C was added, and the temperature was increased to 80° C. Hydrazine hydrate (2.0 mL) was added dropwise and the mixture was stirred at reflux for 3 hours. Reaction mixture was filtered off through Celite, and the solution was washed with H2O (3×), dried over Na2SO4, and concentrated under vacuum to afford the title compound as an off white solid (1.0 g, 2.46 mmoles).
