A stirred solution of N-(4-chloro-5-formylpyridin-2-yl)acetamide (1.947 g, 8.72 mmol) (prepared as described in Example 18, Part D), 2-(4-chloro-2-fluoro-3-methoxyphenyl)-4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-1,3,2-dioxaborolane (2.5 g, 8.72 mmol), cesium carbonate (5.69 g, 17.45 mmol) and Pd(PPh3)4 (0.504 g, 0.436 mmol) in a mixture of dioxane (30 mL) and water (5 mL) was purged with nitrogen for 5 minutes then heated to 85° C. for 14 h. The reaction mixture was cooled to rt and diluted with water (10 mL). The mixture was extracted with ethyl acetate (2×15 mL). The combined organic layers were washed with brine (20 mL), dried over sodium sulphate, and concentrated under reduced pressure. The residue was purified by silica gel chromatography using a gradient of ethyl acetate in hexanes to yield N-(4-(4-chloro-2-fluoro-3-methoxyphenyl)-5-formylpyridin-2-yl)acetamide (1.78 g, 2.95 mmol, 34% yield) as a white solid. LCMS (ESI) m/e 322.9 [(M+H)+, calcd for C15H13ClFN2O3 323.1]; LC/MS retention time (Method F): tR=0.89 min.
