Patent ID: 7368569

Claim:
A process for preparing a compound of the formula IC, or a salt thereof, T, U, V and W are each independently selected from the group consisting of (1) nitrogen, and (2) methine, wherein the methine group is unsubstituted or optionally substituted with a substituent selected from the group consisting of (a) halogen, (b) lower alkyl, (c) hydroxy, and (d) lower alkoxy, and wherein at least two of T, U, V, and W are methine; comprising the steps of (a) combining a strong base with a compound of formula A in an aprotic solvent to form a solution; (b) reacting a compound of formula B R 2 is selected from the group consisting of: (a) lower alkyl, and (b) —CH 2 -phenyl, wherein the phenyl group is unsubstituted or substituted with a substituent selected from the group consisting of (1) lower alkyl, (2) lower alkoxy, and (3) —NO 2 , with the solution of step (a) to form a solution; (c) reacting the solution of step (b) with water to form a solution; and (d) adjusting the pH of the solution of step (c) to between about 0 and 4 with an acid to afford the compound IC, or a salt thereof.