Patent ID: 8354543

Claim:
A process for preparing an optionally substituted 4-benzimidazol-2-ylmethylamino)-benzamidine of formula (I) wherein R 1 denotes a methyl group, R 2 denotes an R 21 NR 22 group, wherein R 21 denotes an ethyl group which is substituted by an ethoxycarbonyl group, and R 22 denotes a pyridin-2-yl group, R 3 denotes an n-hexyloxycarbonyl group; comprising the steps of: (a) reacting a phenyldiamine of formula (II) wherein R 1 and R 2 have the meanings given for formula (I), with 2-[4-(1,2,4-oxadiazol-5-on-3-yl)-phenylamino]-acetic acid to form a product of formula (III) wherein R 1 and R 2 have the meanings given for formula (I), (b) (i) hydrogenating the product of formula (III); and (ii) reacting the product of step (b)(i), without any prior isolation, with a compound of formula (IV), R 3 —X (IV) wherein R 3 has the meaning given hereinbefore and X denotes a suitable leaving group.