To a solution of 4-methylpiperidine (593 mg, 5.98 mmol) and DIEA (2.1 mL, 12 mmol) in anhydrous CH3CN (15 mL) was added isopropyl 2-(5-bromo-4-chloro-2,6-dimethylpyridin-3-yl)-2-oxoacetate (2.0 g, 5.98 mmol) at rt. The resulting mixture was placed in a pre-heated oil bath (80° C.) and stirred for 24 h; cooled, diluted with ether, washed with water, brine, and dried (MgSO4). The crude product was charged (DCM) to a 80 g ISCO silica gel cartridge and gradient eluted (5-35% EtOAc/hexanes) using an Isolera chromatography station gave isopropyl 2-(5-bromo-2,6-dimethyl-4-(4-methylpiperidin-1-yl)pyridin-3-yl)-2-oxoacetate 1.99 g (84%). 1H NMR (500 MHz, DMSO-d6) δ 5.08-5.03 (m, 1H), 3.41-3.39 (m, 2H), 2.83 (br. s, 2H), 2.60 (s, 3H), 2.29 (s, 3H), 1.58 (d, J=12.5 Hz, 2H), 1.44 (br. s, 1H), 1.29 (d, J=6.2 Hz, 6H), 1.09-1.07 (m, 2H), 0.92 (d, J=6.2 Hz, 3H). UPLC (M+H)=399.2.
