To a solution of 3-cyano-4-fluoronitrobenzene (1.76 g, 10.5 mmol) and 3-(1-cyano-1-methylethyl)-N-(3-hydroxyphenyl)benzamide (2.97 g, 10.5 mmol) in N,N-dimethylformamide (20 mL) was added potassium carbonate (2.17 g, 15.7 mmol), and the mixture was stirred at 70° C. for 12 hr. The reaction mixture was cooled to room temperature, insoluble material was filtered off, water (100 ml) was added to the filtrate, and the mixture was extracted with ethyl acetate (200 mL). The organic layer was washed with saturated brine (100 mL×2), dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate, and insoluble material was filtered off. The obtained organic layer was purified by basic silica gel column chromatography (eluate: ethyl acetate), and the obtained solution was concentrated under reduced pressure to give the title compound (4.21 g, 94%) as a yellow oil.
