To a degassed solution of 4-bromopyridine (1 equiv.), tert-butyl piperazine-1-carboxylate (16 mmol, 1.2 equiv.) and NaOtBu (3.4 equiv.) in toluene were added Pd(OAc)2 (2 mol %) and BINAP (1 mol %) and the resulting solution was refluxed for 3 h. The reaction mixture was cooled, diluted with ethyl acetate and given water and brine washes respectively. The organic layer was dried over sodium sulfate, the solvent removed in vacuo and the crude product purified by column chromatography (silica). Yield: 47%.
