sodium methylate in methanol T=40°C; 4 h; Yield given;

1: NaOMe / methanol / 4 h / 40 °C 3: 78 percent / acetonitrile / 24 h / Heating 5: 80 percent / Py / tetrahydrofuran / 1) -20 deg C, 0.5 h, 2) r.t., 3 h View Scheme

1: 1.) n-BuLi / 1.) Et2O, -78 deg C, 1 h 2: 2.) 4 N aq. NaOH / 1.) THF, 25 deg C, 15 h, 2.) reflux, 24 h View Scheme