Patent ID: 7476752

Claim:
A process for preparing a compound of Formula I: wherein: R is C 1-6 alkyl or benzyl; R 1 , R 1a , and R 2 are each, independently, hydrogen, halogen, C 1-6 alkyl, C 1-6 alkoxy, C 1-6 thioalkoxy, nitro, cyano, aryl, CF 3 , OCF 3 , NR 4 R 5 or OH; R 3 is C 1-6 alkyl, arylalkyl having 1-6 carbons in the alkyl moiety, C 2-7 alkenyl, cycloalkylmethyl of 3-8 carbons in the cycloalkyl moiety, or Het-alkyl having 1-6 carbons in the alkyl moiety; R 4 and R 5 are each independently, hydrogen, C 1-6 alkyl, aryl, arylalkyl having 1-6 carbon atoms in the alkyl moiety, Het-alkyl having 1-6 carbon atoms in the alkyl moiety, hydroxyalkyl of 1-6 carbons, dihydroxyalkyl of 1-6 carbons, or cycloalkyl of 3-7 carbons; or R 4 and R 5 together with the N atom to which they are attached form a 5- or 6-membered heterocycle; and Het is a heterocyclic ring system of 4-14 ring atoms comprising one to four ring-forming heteroatoms; wherein at least one of R 1 , R 1a and R 2 is other than hydrogen; comprising: a) reacting a compound of Formula II: in a non-protic solvent with a compound of Formula III: wherein R 1 , R 1 , R 1a , R 2 are defined above and X is Cl, Br or I; and b) reacting a compound of Formula IV: R 3 —X′ IV wherein R 3 is as defined above and X′ is chloro, bromo, iodo, OSO 2 CH 3 , OSO 2 CF 3 , OSO 2 Ph(4-Me), OSO 2 Ph(4-CF 3 ), OSO 2 Ph(4-Br), OSO 2 Ph(4-Cl), OSO 2 Ph(4-F), OSO 2 OR 3 , or OPO 2 OR 3 , with the reaction mixture of step a) to form said compound of Formula I.