Treatment of 3-methoxybenzoic acid (I) with methyl chloroformate and triethylamine produced the mixed anhydride (II), which was condensed with amine (III) to provide the title amide.
The condensation of 1-(4-chlorophenyl)piperazine (I) with 2-chloroacetonitrile (II) gives 2-[4-(4-chlorophenyl)-1-piperazinyl]acetonitrile (III), which is reduced with borane/dimethylsulfide yielding the corresponding primary amine (IV). Finally, (IV) is condensed with 3-methoxybenzoyl chloride.