Patent ID: 6897333

Claim:
A process for the preparation of fibrates of formula (I) wherein R 1 as a halogen atom, a 2,2-dicloro-cyclopropyl group, a (4-chlorophenyl)-hydroxyethyl group, a 4-chlorobenzoyl group or a 2-(4-chlorobenzyamido)-ethyl group, and R 2 is hydrogen or a C 1 -C 4 group, which process comprises reacting an alkyl 2-bromo-2-methyl-propionate of formula (II) wherein R 2 is a defined above, with a substituted phenol of formula (III) wherein R 1 is defined as above; said reaction being conducted in the presence of potassium bi-carbonate and a solvent selected from C 1 -C 4 alcohols and ketones at a temperature ranging from room temperature to 100° C.; and recovering the reaction product directly from the reaction mixture by solvent evaporation followed by crystallization.