Patent ID: 7544802

Claim:
A process for the preparation of 2-(ethoxymethyl)-tropane compounds comprising: providing a 2-(hydroxymethyl)-tropane compound of formula (II) wherein R 1 denotes methyl and R 2 denotes 3,4-dichlorophenyl; providing ethyl bromide, a base, and a phase-transfer catalyst; and reacting a reaction mixture comprising the 2-(hydroxymethyl)-tropane compound, ethyl bromide, the base, and the phase-transfer catalyst to generate a 2-(ethoxymethyl)-tropane compound of formula (I) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein R 1 and R 2 are defined as for formula (II); and wherein the base is potassium hydroxide; and wherein the phase-transfer catalyst is a tetraalkylammonium hydrogen sulphate.