N-(Bicyclo[1.1.1]pentan-1-yl)-5-bromo-4-(methylthio)pyrimidin-2-amine (1250 mg, 4.37 mmol), zinc dust (71.4 mg, 1.092 mmol), zinc cyanide (333 mg, 2.84 mmol), 1,1′-bis-(diphenylphosphino)-ferrocene (196 mg, 0.349 mmol), tris(dibenzylideneacetone)dipalladium(0) (200 mg, 0.218 mmol), and DMA (8.35 mL) were combined and heated overnight at 90° C. under a nitrogen atmosphere. The reaction mixture was diluted with 125 mL ethyl acetate and 50 mL water and filtered through a pad of Celite. The layers of the filtrate were separated and the aqueous layer was extracted with 75 mL ethyl acetate. The combined ethyl acetate layers were washed with 2×50 mL brine, dried over anhydrous magnesium sulfate, filtered and concentrated to an oil. The crude oil was purified by silica gel chromatography (0%-30% ethyl acetate in hexanes). The product containing fractions were combined and concentrated to afford 2-(bicyclo[1.1.1]pentan-1-ylamino)-4-(methylthio)pyrimidine-5-carbonitrile (566 mg, 2.436 mmol, 55.8% yield) as a solid. 1H NMR (400 MHz, DMSO-d6) δ ppm 8.81-9.08 (m, 1H), 8.31-8.57 (m, 1H), 2.55-2.63 (m, 3H), 2.11 (s, 7H). MS (ESI) m/z 233.3 [M+1]+.
