The title compound has been prepared by two related procedures. 2,6-Pyridinedicarboxylic acid (I) was condensed with L-histidine methyl ester (II) using diphenyl phosphoryl azide as the coupling reagent to afford the target diamide.
In an alternative process, acid chloride (III) was condensed with histidine (IV) in the presence of KOH in H2O/THF producing de diamide diacid (V), which was then esterified by treatment with SOCl2 in cold methanol.