Patent ID: 7732600

Claim:
A process for the preparation of a compound of formula (I) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein: n, p, and q are each 0, such that R 2 , W, and R 5 are absent; m is 1; Y and Z are each —CH 2 —; R 1 is halogen, cyano, C 1-6 alkyl, C 1-6 alkoxy, haloC 1-6 alkoxy or haloC 1-6 alkyl; X is N or CH; and R 3 and R 4 are independently hydrogen, C 1-6 alkyl, C 1-6 alkylsulfonyl, a group having the formula (IIa): wherein A is oxygen or sulfur, D is —(CH 2 ) t —, —(CH 2 ) t O— or —O(CH 2 ) t —, wherein t is 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4; and E is C 1-6 alkyl; C 3-7 cycloalkyl, optionally substituted by one or more substituents independently selected from halogen, hydroxy, oxo, C 1-6 alkyl, cyano, CF 3 , OCF 3 , C 1-6 alkoxy and C 1-6 alkanoyl; or aryl, optionally substituted by one or more substituents independently selected from halogen, C 1-6 alkyl, CF 3 , cyano, hydroxy, C 1-6 alkanoyl, and C 1-6 alkoxy; or a group having the formula (IIb) wherein A is oxygen or sulfur, D is —(CH 2 ) t —, —(CH 2 ) t O— or —O(CH 2 ) t —, wherein t is 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4; and E is C 1-6 alkyl; C 3-7 cycloalkyl, optionally substituted by one or more substituents independently selected from halogen, hydroxy, oxo, C 1-6 alkyl, cyano, CF 3 , OCF 3 , C 1-6 alkoxy and C 1-6 alkanoyl; or aryl optionally substituted by one or more substituents independently selected from halogen, C 1-6 alkyl, CF 3 , cyano, hydroxy, C 1-6 alkanoyl, and C 1-6 alkoxy; or R 3 and R 4 , together with the nitrogen atom to which R 3 and R 4 are attached, combine to form a 3-7 membered monocyclic heterocyclic group or a 8-11 membered bicyclic heterocyclic group, wherein each group is optionally substituted by one or more substituents selected from halogen, oxo, C 1-6 alkyl, cyano, CF 3 , C 1-6 alkoxy, C 1-6 alkanoyl, aryl and arylC 1-6 alkyl, wherein the aryl and arylC 1-6 alkyl are further optionally substituted by one or more halogen, oxo, C 1-6 alkyl, cyano, CF 3 , C 1-6 alkoxy and C 1-6 alkanoyl; which process comprises reacting a compound of formula (VII): wherein R 1 , m, X, R 2 and n are as defined for formula (I), with a compound of formula (VIII): wherein W, p, Y, Z, R 5 , q, R 3 and R 4 are as defined for formula (I), and L is selected from the group consisting of chloro, bromo, iodo, tosylate, brosylate, nosylate, mesylate, fluorosulfonate, triflate, nonaflate, and tresylate; in the presence of a base, and thereafter optionally: removing any protecting groups and/or forming a pharmaceutically acceptable salt.