Patent ID: 7488840

Claim:
A process for preparing a 2-(chloromethyl)phenylacetic acid compound of formula I, where X is C1-C4-alkoxy or methylamino, said process comprising cleaving by ether cleavage a compound of formula II, where R is C1-C4-alkyl, C1-C4-alkoxy, C1-C2-haloalkyl, C1-C4-alkylcarbonyl, C1-C4-alkylcarbonyloxy, halogen, nitro or cyano and X is as defined above, with hydrogen chloride, in the presence of an inert solvent and a catalyst, wherein said catalyst is selected from the group consisting of iron, iron halides, iron oxides, iron triflates, indium, indium halides, indium oxides and indium triflates.