Patent ID: 7781615

Claim:
A process for the preparation of the compound of formula (I): wherein R 1 and R 2 are independently H or C 1-6 alkyl, which comprises treating with a reducing agent either a compound of formula (II): wherein R 3 is H or C 1-4 alkyl and Ph is phenyl, or a compound of formula (III): the reducing agent being effective to cleave the benzyl moiety Ph-CH(R 3 )— from the benzylamino moiety PhCH(R 3 )NH— in the compound of the formula (II) or in the compound of the formula (III) to leave an amino group and, in addition, in the case of the compound of the formula (III), to reduce both the 2,3-double bond and the double bond joining the R 1 R 2 C— moiety to the 9-position of the benzonorbornene ring to single bonds.