3-Phenylpyridine → 1-(2,3-Dihydrobenzo[1,4]dioxin-2-ylmethyl)-5-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine

A mixture of 2-bromomethyl-2,3-dihydrobenzo[1,4]dioxine (500 mg, 2.18 mmol) and 3-phenyl-pyridine (339 mg, 2.18 mmol) in xylene (2 ml) was refluxed for 4 h. After cooling, the solvent was decanted to give the crude oily pyridinium salt, which was dissolved in MeOH (5 ml). NaBH4 (330 mg, 4 eq) was added in small portions to the cooled mixture. After stirring for 2 h at RT, MeOH was evaporated, water was added and the mixture extracted with EtOAc. Drying (Na2SO4) and evaporation gave the crude product, which was purified by flash chromatography (heptane/EtOAc).