The method for the synthesis of (2-chloropyrimidin-4-yl)methanol is as follows: To a solution of 2-chloropyrimidine-4-carboxylic (isobutyl carbonic) anhydride (16.3 g, 63.0 mmol) in Tetrahydrofuran (200 mL) and water (20 mL) was added sodium borohydride (4.7 g, 124.8 mmol) at 0 °C dropwise. Then the mixture was stirred at 0 °C for 1 hour. The reaction mixture was quenched with aqueous NH4Cl (20 mL) and diluted with water (100 mL), extracted with ethyl acetate (100 mL x 2), washed with brine (50 mL x 2), dried over Na2SO4, filtered and concentrated to residue which was purified by silica gel chromatography (solvent gradient: 0- 50% ethyl acetate in petroleum ether) to afford (2-chloropyrimidin-4-yl)methanol (3 g, 33% yield) as a yellow solid.
