To a stirred, degassed solution of 4-bromo-2-methylaniline (20 g, 0.107 mol) in toluene (1200 ml) and ethanol (400 ml), under an atmosphere of nitrogen, is added 4-chlorophenylboronic acid (20.32 g, 0.13 mol) and the reaction mixture is stirred and heated to 80° C. Tetrakis(triphenylphosphine)palladium(0) (2.48 g, 0.002 mol) is added to the reaction mixture, and to this is added 2M aqueous potassium carbonate solution (160 ml). The reaction mixture is heated at reflux for 4 hours, then cooled to room temperature. The reaction mixture was filtered through diatomaceous earth, and the filtrate was evaporated under reduced pressure. The residue is partitioned between ethyl acetate and water. The aqueous phase is extracted with ethyl acetate (3×500 ml) and the organic extracts are combined and concentrated under reduced pressure to give 4′-chloro-3-methylbiphen-4-ylamine (16.5 g).
