Combined 4-bromo-3-chlorobenzonitrile (0.600 g, 2.77 mmol) and (2-(tert-butoxy)-2-oxoethyl)zinc(II) chloride (8.32 mL, 4.16 mmol) in THF (5.54 mL), then Pd(dba)2 (0.080 g, 0.139 mmol) and 2′-(dicyclohexylphosphino)-N,N-dimethyl-[1,1′-biphenyl]-2-amine (0.109 g, 0.277 mmol) were added and the reaction was refluxed overnight at 65° C. The reaction was concentrated by rotary evaporation and purified on a silica gel column eluting with hexanes and EtOAc to give the title compound (274 mg, 39%) as a yellow oil. MS m/z [M+H]+ 252.
