Patent ID: 8748630

Claim:
A method for preparing a compound of Formula 1 wherein R 1 is NHR 3 or OR 4 ; R 2 is Cl or CH 3 ; R 3 is H, C 1 -C 4 alkyl, cyclopropyl, cyclopropylmethyl or methylcyclopropyl; and R 4 is H or C 1 -C 4 alkyl; comprising contacting (1) a compound of Formula 2 wherein X is Br or Cl; with (2) at least one compound of Formula 3 M 1 CN 3 wherein M 1 is an alkali metal in the presence of (3) a solvent comprising one or more organic solvents selected from ethers and nitriles; and (4) a catalytically effective amount of a palladium complex comprising at least one tertiary phosphine ligand selected from the group consisting of benzyl-di-1-adamantylphosphine, di-tert-butylneopentylphosphine or tri-tert-butylphosphine; provided that when R 2 is Cl, then X is Br; and when X is Cl, then the tertiary phosphine ligand is tri-tert-butylphosphine.