The reaction of 5-chloropyridine-2-carboxylic acid (I) with N-(2-aminoethyl)carbamic acid tert-butyl ester (II) by means of carbonyl-dimidazole (CDI) in refluxing THF gives N-[2-(tert-butoxycarbonylamino)ethyl]-5-chloropyridine-2-carboxamide (III), which is then hydrolyzed with trifluoroacetic acid in refluxing dichloromethane and treated with ethanolic HCl to obtain the hydrochloride.