A degassed suspension of 1-(3-(2-(7-chloro-2-quinolinyl)ethenyl)phenyl)-2-propen-1-ol (Step 1, 50.30 g, 156 mmol), LiOAc.2 H2O (41.2 g, 404 mmol), LiCl (6.84 g, 161 mmol), Pd(OAc)2 (1.00 g, 4.45 mmol) and methyl 2-bromobenzoate (33.5 g, 156 mmol) in 300 mL of DMF was stirred at 95° C. for 4 h. The mixture was cooled to r.t (room temperature) and added to 1.8 L of water. The product was extracted with hot EtOAc, dried over Na2SO4 and concentrated. It was dissolved in toluene and filtered through silica with toluene. Recrystallization in 1.2 L of EtOAc:hexanes 1:1 afforded 65.57 g of the title compound. Recrystallization of the mother liquors in 400 mL EtOAc:hexanes 1:3 afforded a further 8.30 g (86% overall yield) of the title material.
