Patent ID: 7608736

Claim:
A process for the preparation of a compound of formula (I): wherein: R 1 is hydrogen, —(CH 2 ) p -heterocyclyl or a hydrocarbon radical, where the two last-mentioned radicals are unsubstituted or substituted by one or more radicals selected from the group consisting of halogen, (C 1 -C 6 )-alkyl, (C 1 -C 6 )-haloalkyl, (C 1 -C 6 )-alkoxy, cyano and nitro; R 2 is hydrogen, (C 1 -C 6 )-alkyl, (C 2 -C 6 )-alkenyl, (C 2 -C 6 )-alkynyl, (C 1 -C 6 )-alkoxy, (C 2 -C 6 )-alkenyloxy, where the five last-mentioned radicals are unsubstituted or substituted by one or more radicals selected from the group consisting of halogen, (C 1 -C 4 )-alkoxy and (C 1 -C 4 )-alkylthio; or R 1 and R 2 together with the linking nitrogen atom form a 3- to 8-membered saturated or unsaturated ring; R 3 and R 5 are each independently halogen, (C 1 -C 6 )-alkyl, (C 1 -C 6 )-haloalkyl, (C 1 -C 6 )-alkoxy, S(O) q —(C 1 -C 6 )-alkyl, (C 1 -C 6 )-alkylcarbonyl, —CO-aryl, cyano or nitro; or two adjacent R 5 groups form a —O—CH 2 CH 2 — moiety; R 4 is hydrogen, (C 1 -C 4 )-alkyl, (C 2 -C 4 )-alkenyl or (C 2 -C 4 )-alkynyl; n is an integer from 0 to 4; m is an integer from 0 to 5; p is 0 or 1; and q is 0, 1 or 2; or a salt thereof; which process comprises the reaction of a compound of formula (II): wherein R 3 , R 4 and n are as defined in formula (I), with a compound of formula (III): wherein R 5 and m are as defined in formula (I) and Y is OH or Cl, in the presence of a chlorinating agent, to give a compound of formula (IV): wherein R 3 , R 4 , R 5 , m and n are as defined in formula (I), followed by the reaction of the resultant compound of formula (IV) with a compound of formula (V): R 1 R 2 NH (V) wherein R 1 and R 2 are as defined in formula (I), in the presence of a base.