Patent ID: 7692020

Claim:
A process for the preparation of a pyridylcarboxylic amide or ester I wherein Hal represents a halogen atom; X represents O or NR 2 ; R 1 represents a C 1 -C 6 -alkyl or aryl group, wherein both groups may be substituted by one or more halogen atoms, nitro, cyano, C 1 -C 6 -alkyl, C 1 -C 6 -haloalkyl or C 1 -C 6 -alkoxy groups; R 2 independently represents a hydrogen atom or a C 1 -C 6 -alkyl group; which comprises: (a) heating a mixture consisting essentially of a trichloromethylpyridine II, wherein Hal is a halogen atom, and 1.0 to 1.5 equivalents of concentrated sulfuric acid, wherein the trichloromethylpyridine II in a liquid form is added to the concentrated sulfuric acid at a temperature from 110° C. to 160° C.; and (b) reacting the intermediate product obtained in step (a) with an amine or alcohol III, HXR 1 III, wherein X and R 1 have the meaning given above, optionally in the presence of a solvent, a base, or a combination thereof, wherein a pyridylcarboxylic amide or ester I is prepared.