To a solution of 2-chloro-1-(2-methoxy-ethoxymethyl)-1H-benzoimidazole-5-carboxylic acid (0.235 g, 0.825 mmol) and acetonitrile (4 mL) was added HATU (0.408 g, 1.07 mmol). The resulting suspension was stirred at 23° C. for 5 min, treated with DIPEA (0.428 mL, 2.48 mmol) and stirred for an additional 20 minutes. The reaction mixture was then treated with aniline (90.0 μL, 0.990 mmol) and stirred for 2 h. The reaction mixture was diluted with water (10 mL) and extracted with EtOAc (3×20 mL). The combined organic layers were washed with brine, dried, filtered, and concentrated under reduced pressure. The residue was purified (FCC) (5-70% EtOAc/hexanes) to yield the titled compound (0.265 g, 89%) as a mixture of regioisomers. MS (ESI/CI): mass calcd. for C18H18ClN3O3, 359.1; m/z found, 360.1 [M+H]+. 1H NMR (400 MHz, DMSO-d6): 10.26 (d, J=7.5 Hz, 2H), 8.32 (dd, J=3.6, 1.5 Hz, 2H), 7.99 (dd, J=8.6, 1.6 Hz, 1H), 7.94 (dd, J=8.5, 1.6 Hz, 1H), 7.87-7.73 (m, 6H), 7.41-7.32 (m, 4H), 7.16-7.02 (m, 2H), 5.75 (d, J=8.6 Hz, 4H), 3.67-3.61 (m, 4H), 3.43 (ddd, J=6.3, 4.7, 3.1 Hz, 4H), 3.19 (d, J=1.5 Hz, 6H).
