Patent ID: 7728139

Claim:
A process for the preparation of a compound of formula III wherein both M represent an alkali metal and each of R 1 and R 2 independently of the other is a carbocylic aromatic radical or a heterocyclic aromatic radical, which process comprises the steps of: providing to a reactor as reactants an unsymmetrical or symmetrical dialkyl or diaryl succinate, or monoalkyl monoaryl succinate or dicycloalkyl succinate of formula V wherein each R 3 and R 4 independently of the other is an alkyl or a cycloalkyl or an aryl radical, with two moles of nitrile of formula VI R 1 —CN (VI) or of formula VII R 2 —CN (VII) for at least each mole of succinate or with 0.0 to 2.0 mole of a nitrile of the formula (VI) and 2.0 to 0.0 mole of the nitrile of the formula (VII), and further, providing 2 to 5 moles of a strong base at a temperature of 20° C.-25° C., then subsequently reacting the said reactants in the presence of the strong base and essentially in the absence of any organic solvent to condense the reactants at a temperature of 70° C. to 200° C.