Triethylamine (50.0 mL, 359 mmol) and a solution of trityl chloride (93 g, 326 mmol) in dichloromethane (251 mL) were added dropwise over 1 hour to an ice bath cooled solution of N1-benzylethane-1,2-diamine (50 g, 326 mmol) in dichloromethane (251 mL) under argon. The mixture was then allowed to warm to room temperature and stirred for 48 hours. Water was added and the product was extracted with dichloromethane. The organic layer was washed with brine and water, dried over sodium sulfate and concentrated to afford the title compound. 1H NMR (500 MHz, DMSO-d6) δ ppm 7.44-7.36 (m, 5H), 7.32-7.24 (m, 10H), 7.21-7.15 (m, 5H), 3.56 (s, 2H), 2.62 (t, J=6.1 Hz, 20H), 2.10 (d, J=6.6 Hz, 2H).
