Sodium Iodide → 1-Iodo-3-methoxy-5-methylbenzene

Cu(I)I (0.05 g, 0.25 mmol) and NaI (1.49 g, 10 mmol) were added to an oven dried sealed tube and the tube sealed with a rubber septum and flushed with a stream of nitrogen for 15 min. Anhydrous dioxane (5 mL), N,N′-dimethyl ethylenediamine (0.055 mL, 0.50 mmol) and 1-bromo-3-methoxy-5-methylbenzene (1) (1.0 g, 5.0 mmol) were added via a syringe with vigorous stirring under a stream of nitrogen at room temperature. The rubber septum was replaced with the Teflon cap and the sealed tube was heated at 110° C. in an oil bath for 18 h. The reaction was allowed to cool to room temperature and then quenched with a saturated aqueous solution of ammonium chloride. The reaction mixture was extracted with CH2Cl2. The organic layer was washed with water, and then concentrated to dryness to give 1-iodo-3-methoxy-5-methylbenzene (2) (1.05 g, 87% yield) as a pale yellow oil.