A process comprising (i) reacting compound with compound (IIa) to produce compound (IIb); followed by (ii) reacting compound (IIb) with compound (IIc) to product compound; followed by (iii) cyclizing compound using a dehydrating agent to produce compound; wherein each R 1 is independently selected from H, F, Cl, Br, I, CN, NO 2, and substituted or unsubstituted (C 1 -C 6)alkyl, wherein each substituted R 1 has one or more substituents independently selected from F, Cl, Br, I, CN, NO 2, (C 1 -C 6)alkyl, and (C 1 -C 6)haloalkyl; R 2 is selected from substituted or unsubstituted (C 1 -C 6)alkyl, substituted or unsubstituted (C 2 -C 6)alkenyl, substituted or unsubstituted (C 1 -C 6)alkoxy, substituted or unsubstituted (C 2 -C 6)alkenyloxy, substituted or unsubstituted (C 3 -C 10)cycloalkyl, substituted or unsubstituted (C 3 -C 10)cycloalkenyl, substituted or unsubstituted (C 6 -C 20)aryl, substituted or unsubstituted (C 1 -C 6)alkyl)(C 6 -C 20)aryl, and substituted or unsubstituted (C 1 -C 20)heterocyclyl, wherein each substituted R 2 has one or more substituents independently selected from F, Cl, Br, I, CN, NO 2, (C 1 -C 6)alkyl, (C 2 -C 6)alkenyl, (C 1 -C 6)haloalkyl, (C 2 -C 6)haloalkenyl, (C 1 -C 6)haloalkyloxy, (C 2 -C 6)haloalkenyloxy, (C 3 -C 10)cycloalkyl, (C 3 -C 10)cycloalkenyl, (C 3 -C 10)halocycloalkyl, (C 3 -C 10)halocycloalkenyl, (C 6 -C 20)aryl, and (C 1 -C 20)heterocyclyl; R 3 is selected from H, substituted or unsubstituted (C 1 -C 6)alkyl, substituted or unsubstituted (C 3 -C 10)cycloalkyl, substituted or unsubstituted (C 1 -C 6)alkyl(C 3 -C 10)cycloalkyl, substituted or unsubstituted (C 6 -C 20)aryl, and substituted or unsubstituted (C 1 -C 6)alkyl(C 6 -C 20)aryl, wherein each substituted R 3 has one or more substituents independently selected from F, Cl, Br, and I; and R 4 is selected from H, substituted or unsubstituted (C 1 -C 6)alkyl, substituted or unsubstituted (C 3 -C 10)cycloalkyl, substituted or unsubstituted (C 1 -C 6)alkyl(C 3 -C 10)cycloalkyl, substituted or unsubstituted (C 6 -C 20)aryl, substituted or unsubstituted (C 1 -C 6)alkyl(C 6 -C 20)aryl, substituted or unsubstituted (C 1 -C 6)alkyl(C 2 -C 6)alkenyl, and substituted or unsubstituted (C 1 -C 6)alkyl(C 2 -C 6)alkynyl, wherein each said R 4, which is substituted, has one or more substituents selected from F, Cl, Br, I, CN, NO 2, (C 1 -C 6)alkyl, (C 1 -C 6)haloalkyl, (C 1 -C 6)alkyloxy, (C 1 -C 6)haloalkyloxy, (C 3 -C 10)cycloalkyl, (C 3 -C 10)halocycloalkyl, (C 6 -C 20)aryl, and (C 1 -C 20)heterocyclyl. (i) reacting compound with compound (IIa) to produce compound (IIb); followed by (ii) reacting compound (IIb) with compound (IIc) to product compound; followed by (iii) cyclizing compound using a dehydrating agent to produce compound; each R 1 is independently selected from H, F, Cl, Br, I, CN, NO 2, and substituted or unsubstituted (C 1 -C 6)alkyl, wherein each substituted R 1 has one or more substituents independently selected from F, Cl, Br, I, CN, NO 2, (C 1 -C 6)alkyl, and (C 1 -C 6)haloalkyl; R 2 is selected from substituted or unsubstituted (C 1 -C 6)alkyl, substituted or unsubstituted (C 2 -C 6)alkenyl, substituted or unsubstituted (C 1 -C 6)alkoxy, substituted or unsubstituted (C 2 -C 6)alkenyloxy, substituted or unsubstituted (C 3 -C 10)cycloalkyl, substituted or unsubstituted (C 3 -C 10)cycloalkenyl, substituted or unsubstituted (C 6 -C 20)aryl, substituted or unsubstituted (C 1 -C 6)alkyl)(C 6 -C 20)aryl, and substituted or unsubstituted (C 1 -C 20)heterocyclyl, wherein each substituted R 2 has one or more substituents independently selected from F, Cl, Br, I, CN, NO 2, (C 1 -C 6)alkyl, (C 2 -C 6)alkenyl, (C 1 -C 6)haloalkyl, (C 2 -C 6)haloalkenyl, (C 1 -C 6)haloalkyloxy, (C 2 -C 6)haloalkenyloxy, (C 3 -C 10)cycloalkyl, (C 3 -C 10)cycloalkenyl, (C 3 -C 10)halocycloalkyl, (C 3 -C 10)halocycloalkenyl, (C 6 -C 20)aryl, and (C 1 -C 20)heterocyclyl; R 3 is selected from H, substituted or unsubstituted (C 1 -C 6)alkyl, substituted or unsubstituted (C 3 -C 10)cycloalkyl, substituted or unsubstituted (C 1 -C 6)alkyl(C 3 -C 10)cycloalkyl, substituted or unsubstituted (C 6 -C 20)aryl, and substituted or unsubstituted (C 1 -C 6)alkyl(C 6 -C 20)aryl, wherein each substituted R 3 has one or more substituents independently selected from F, Cl, Br, and I; and R 4 is selected from H, substituted or unsubstituted (C 1 -C 6)alkyl, substituted or unsubstituted (C 3 -C 10)cycloalkyl, substituted or unsubstituted (C 1 -C 6)alkyl(C 3 -C 10)cycloalkyl, substituted or unsubstituted (C 6 -C 20)aryl, substituted or unsubstituted (C 1 -C 6)alkyl(C 6 -C 20)aryl, substituted or unsubstituted (C 1 -C 6)alkyl(C 2 -C 6)alkenyl, and substituted or unsubstituted (C 1 -C 6)alkyl(C 2 -C 6)alkynyl, wherein each said R 4, which is substituted, has one or more substituents selected from F, Cl, Br, I, CN, NO 2, (C 1 -C 6)alkyl, (C 1 -C 6)haloalkyl, (C 1 -C 6)alkyloxy, (C 1 -C 6)haloalkyloxy, (C 3 -C 10)cycloalkyl, (C 3 -C 10)halocycloalkyl, (C 6 -C 20)aryl, and (C 1 -C 20)heterocyclyl.