Reaction of picolinic acid (I) with hot thionyl chloride in DMF gives 4-chloropyridine-2-carbonyl chloride (II), which is treated with methanol to give ester (III). Subsequent displacement of the methyl ester function with methylamine provides amide (IV). Alternatively, acid chloride (II) is directly converted into amide (IV) by reaction with a cold solution of methylamine. In a different synthetic procedure, amide (IV) can be obtained from 4-chloropyridine (V) via the Menisci reaction using N-methylformamide and hydrogen peroxide in the presence of FeSO4 and H2SO4. Coupling of the amide (IV) with potassium 4-aminophenolate (VI) -obtained by treatment of 4-aminophenol (VII) with potassium tert-butoxide- in hot DMF yields the pyridyloxyaniline (VIII). Aniline (VIII) is finally condensed with either 4-chloro-3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl isocyanate (IX) in CH2Cl2 or 4-chloro-3-(trifluoromethyl)aniline (X) by means of CDI in CH2Cl2.