A mixture of methyl 5-(2-chlorophenyl)-2-iodo-1,3-oxazole-4-carboxylate (3.0 g, 8.3 mmol), N-[5-methyl-4-(trimethylstannyl)pyridine-2-yl]acetamide (2.8 g, 9.1 mmol), tetrakis(triphenylphosphine)palladium(0) (0.48 g, 0.41 mmol), copper(I) iodide (0.47 g, 2.5 mmol) and lithium chloride (1.1 g, 24.8 mmol) in 1,4-dioxane (80 mL) was degassed with argon three times. The mixture was allowed to stir at 100° C. under an atmosphere of argon for 2 h and then filtered while hot. The reaction mixture was concentrated to a small volume and then 10% aqueous ammonia (150 mL) was added. The mixture was filtered and the solid was washed with diethyl ether to give methyl 2-[2-(acetylamino)-5-methylpyridin-4-yl]-5-(2-chlorophenyl)-1,3-oxazole-4-carboxylate (2.3 g, 72%) which was used without further purification.
