2-Bromo-6-methoxypyridine (7.0 g), ethyl isobutyrate (4.75 g), tri t-butylphosphine (300 mg) and Pd2(dba)3 (680 mg) were dissolved in toluene (200 ml) under nitrogen atmosphere, added with THF solution of LiHMDS (1.6 M, 24 ml), and the mixture was stirred at 100° C. for 6 hrs. The reaction mixture was diluted with ethyl acetate (300 ml), and washed three times with 15% brine (200 ml). The organic layer was concentrated under reduced pressure and the resulting residues were purified by silica gel column (n-hexane/ethyl acetate=4/1) to obtain the title compound (5.353 g, yield 60%).
