Ethyl 2,4-dioxopentanoate (V) was converted into the O-methyloxime (VI) and subsequently cyclized with 4-methoxyphenylhydrazine (VII) to furnish pyrazole (VIII) (1,2). Optionally, ester (VIII) was hydrolyzed and then converted to acid chloride (IX) by treatment with oxalyl chloride (1). Biphenylamine (IV) was coupled with ester (VIII) in the presence of trimethylaluminium (2) or, alternatively, with acid chloride (IX) (1) to give amide (X). The N-tert-butyl group of (X) was finally removed by refluxing in trifluoroacetic acid.
The intermediate biphenylamine (IV) was prepared by Suzuki coupling of N-Boc-4-bromoaniline (I) with 2-(N-tert-butylaminosulfonyl)phenylboronic acid (II), followed by deprotection of the Boc group.