Patent ID: 7612215

Claim:
A process for the preparation of compounds of general formula (I) wherein R 2 and R 3 are the same or different and each is, independently, hydrogen, C 1-4 alkyl, cyano, aryl, —COOR 7 , halogen, R 8 COO—, R 9 SO 3 O— or R 10 SO 2 O—; R 1 is R a , R b or C 2-20 alkenyl optionally substituted by aryl; X is —CONR 11 R 12 , —COOR 13 or —CN; R 7 , R 8 , R 9 and R 10 are each independently chosen from hydrogen, R a′ and R b′ ; R 11 , R 12 and R 13 are the same or different and each is, independently, hydrogen, C 1-4 alkyl, aryl, arylalkyl, heteroaryl or heterocycloalkyl; R a and R a′ each independently represent C 1-20 alkyl or C 1-20 alkyl substituted by one or more halogen, hydroxy, thiol, amino, nitro, cyano, thiocyanato, carboxy, sulfonic acid, R b , alkylsulfonyl, arylsulfonyl, alkylsulfinyl, arylsulfinyl, alkylthio, arylthio, alkoxy, aryloxy, sulfonamide, acyl, ester, amido, azido, acyloxy, esteroxy and/or amidooxy; R b and R b′ each independently represent aryl, heterocycloalkyl, heteroaryl or the same substituted by one or more halogen, R a , hydroxy, thiol, amino, nitro, cyano, thiocyanato, carboxy, sulfonic acid, aryl, alkylsulfonyl, arylsulfonyl, alkylsulfinyl, arylsulfinyl, alkylthio, arylthio, alkoxy, aryloxy, sulfonamide, heterocycloalkyl, heteroaryl, acyl, ester, amido, azido, acyloxy, esteroxy and/or amidooxy; comprising the cyclisation of an intermediate of general formula (II) wherein Y is a leaving group selected from halogen, —OC(O)R 14 , —OSO 2 —R 15 and —OClO 3 ; R 14 and R 15 represent halogen or alkyl, arylalkyl, aryl, each optionally substituted by one or more halogen, alkyl, nitro and/or tertiary amino group; X 1 is as defined for X; W is an electron withdrawing group selected from —COOR 4 , —COMe, —CN, —PO(OEt) 2 , —SO 2 aryl, —COaryl; R 4 represents hydrogen, C 1-6 alkyl, aryl, arylalkyl, wherein each aryl and arylalkyl may be substituted by one or more halogen, nitro, and/or methoxy; in the presence of one or more organic and/or inorganic bases.