A mixture of ethyl 5-bromonicotinate (46 mg, 0.2 mmol), {2′-[(phenylmethyl)oxy]-2-biphenylyl}boronic acid (61 mg, 0.2 mmol), potassium carbonate (221 mg, 1.6 mmol) and tetrakis(triphenylphosphine)palladium(0) (23 mg, 0.02 mmol) was stirred and heated at 90° C. under nitrogen for 2 hours. After cooling the mixture was diluted with ether/water and the organic phase dried (magnesium sulphate), evaporated and chromatographed on silica eluting with ethyl acetate/iso-hexane (1:5) to give 66 mg of colourless gum.
