To a stirred solution of N1,N4-diphenylbenzene-1,4-diamine (6.5 g, 20.0 mmol) in toluene (400 mL), 4-bromo-N,N-diphenylaniline (7.9 g, 30.1 mmol) was added and the solution was degassed with nitrogen for 15 minutes. Palladium (II) acetate (45 mg, 0.2 mmol), triphenylphosphine (210 mg, 0.8 mmol) and sodium tert-butoxide (2.9 g, 30.1 mmol) were added and degassed with nitrogen for another 15 minutes. The reaction was refluxed overnight. The reaction mixture was filtered through Celite®, washed with toluene and the filtrate was concentrated under vacuum. It was then column chromatographed with hexane to 50% toluene/hexane to obtain 5.6 g (48%) of the desired product as a white solid.
