(The following reaction is done in an anhydrous N2 atmosphere.) Suspend EDCHCl (402 mg, 2.10 mmol) and Et3N (2934, 2.10 mmol) in anhydrous DCM (17 mL) and stir the resulting solution for 5 min at rt. Add 3-(3,4,5-Trimethoxy-phenyl)-propionic acid (480 mg, 2.00 mmol) and DMAP (24 mg, 0.20 mmol) and stir the resulting solution for 5 min. 3-Nitro-phenylamine (88) (414 mg, 3.00 mmol) and stir the reaction solution 24 h at rt. Quench reaction solution with sat. aqu. NH4Cl and water, separate layers and extract aqu. layer with EtOAc (3 times). Wash combined organic layer with brine and dry with Na2SO4. Purify the crude product by preparative radial chromatography (silica gel, EtOAc/CyH 1+1) to obtain N-(3-Nitro-phenyl)-3-(3,4,5-trimethoxy-phenyl)-propionamide (89) (508 mg, 70%) as a yellow solid. 1H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl3): 2.65 (t, 2H, J=7.5 Hz); 2.98 (t, 2H, J=7.5 Hz); 3.79 (s, 6H); 3.81 (s, 3H); 6.42 (s, 2H); 7.41 (s, 1H); 7.45 (t, 1H, J=8.3 Hz); 7.84 (d, 1H, J=8.3 Hz); 7.92 (d, 1H, J=8.3 Hz); 8.31 (s, 1H).
