4-(bromomethyl)-3,5-difluorobenzonitrile

Conditions: temp:0.01; pressure:0.00; stir:; See reaction.notes.procedure_details.

Procedure: To a solution of 3,5-difluoro-4-(hydroxymethyl)benzonitrile (all material from above reaction) in DCM at 0° C. was added PBr3 (283 μL, 3 mmol). After stirring 1 h at 0° C., the reaction mixture was quenched with water and then extracted with DCM. The combined extracts were washed with satd NaHCO3, dried over Na2SO4 and concentrated to yield 4-(bromomethyl)-3,5-difluorobenzonitrile (0.88 g, 63%, combined yield) as a white solid. 1H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl3) δ 7.31-7.18 (m, 1H), 4.51 (d, J=10.1, 1H); GC-MS (ES) m/z 231 (M). the reaction mixture was quenched with water extracted with DCM The combined extracts were washed with satd NaHCO3 dried over Na2SO4 concentrated

Conditions: temp:56.01; pressure:0.00; stir:; See reaction.notes.procedure_details.

Procedure: A mixture of 5-(2-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)propan-2-yl)-1-(4-fluorophenyl)-1H-imidazole-2(3H)-thione (760 mg, 2 mmol), 4-(bromomethyl)-3,5-difluorobenzonitrile (464 mg, 2 mmol) and K2CO3 (414 mg, 3 mmol) in acetone (10 mL) was stirred at 56° C. for 4 h. After cooling, the solids were removed by filtration and rinsed with acetone. The combined filtrates were concentrated and purified by flash chromatography, eluting with EtOAc-Hexane (1:1) to afford the title compound (89 mg). 1H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl3) δ 7.26 (t, J=4.2, 2H), 7.17 (d, J=6.5, 2H), 7.03 (d, J=2.2, 1H), 6.88-6.79 (m, 3H), 6.50-6.44 (m, 2H), 4.08 (d, J=9.1, 2H), 2.04 (s, 1H), 1.49 (s, 7H); MS (EI) m/z 432 (MH+). After cooling the solids were removed by filtration rinsed with acetone The combined filtrates were concentrated purified by flash chromatography eluting with EtOAc-Hexane (1:1)