Patent ID: 7294716

Claim:
A process for synthesizing compounds of Formula 1, Formula 2, Formula 3 and Formula 4 or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt of said compounds where the R group, represents an alkylsulfonyl, arylsulfonyl, substituted arylsulfonyl, heteroarylsulfonyl or substituted heteroarylsulfonyl group, the process comprising the steps of: (1) ring closing a compound of Formula 5 to form a compound of Formula 6 (2) reacting the compound of Formula 6 with a reagent of Formula 7 to form a compound of Formula 8 (3) and oxidizing the compound of Formula 8 to form the compound selected from Formulas 1 through 4, wherein XO represents CH 3 O or HF 2 CO attached to the 4 or 5 position of the compound of Formula 5 and to the 5 or to the 6 position of the benzimidazole moiety of Formulas 1 through 4, X 1 , X 2 and X 3 represent either (a) methyl, methoxy and methyl groups attached respectively to the 3, 4 and 5 positions of the pyridine ring, or (b) X 1 is methoxy attached to the 3 position of the pyridine moiety, X 2 is methoxy attached to the 4 position of the pyridine moiety, and X 3 is hydrogen.