Using a syringe, 6-(trifluoromethyl)nicotinic acid (45 g, 235.5 mmol), dichloromethane (540 mL), and DMF (0.910 mL, 11.77 mmol) were added to a 1 L three-necked flask equipped with a top-mounted stirrer, a Claisen adapter, a nitrogen bubbler, a 60 mL feeding funnel, and a thermocouple. Oxaloyl chloride (24.51 mL, 282.56 mmol) was added to the solution, and the reaction mixture was stirred overnight at ambient temperature. The reaction mixture was then filtered, and the filtrate was concentrated under vacuum to obtain the title compound as a brownish semi-solid.
