1. 1-(4-bromo-1-methyl-1H-imidazol-2-yl)-2,2,2-trichloroacetophenone (0.266 g, 868 μmol, 1 eq.) was suspended in methanol (1.41 mL, 34.7 mmol, 40 eq.) and the reaction was heated to reflux for 3 hr. followed by standing overnight at room temperature.
2. Sodium methanolate (15.6 mg, 86.8 μmol, 0.1 eq.) was added to the reaction mixture and stirring was continued for 3 hours at room temperature.
3. After completion of the reaction, the mixture was concentrated under vacuum. 4.
4. The concentrated residue was purified by silica gel column chromatography to afford the target compound methyl 1-methyl-4-bromo-1H-imidazole-2-carboxylate as a light brown solid (155 mg, 81% yield).
5. Mass spectrometry analysis showed m/z = 219.1, 221.1 [M+H]+, confirming the structure of the product.
