Patent ID: 7186870

Claim:
A process for the preparation of any one of the compounds of formulae (Ia) and (Ib) or a mixture thereof: wherein R 2 and R 3 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, fluoro, —CF 3 , and —OCH 3 ; R 1 is an electron withdrawing group selected from cyano and phenylsulfonyl; each R 5 for formula (Ia) is independently hydrogen, methyl, ethyl, or a metal cation Na + , with the proviso that only one R 5 can be methyl or ethyl; R 5 of formula (Ib) is methyl or ethyl; comprising the step of reacting a compound of formula (III) wherein R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , and R 5 are as set forth above; and X′ is bromo or chloro, in the presence of a palladium catalyst and a base.