Patent ID: 8124763

Claim:
A process for the preparation of compounds of formula (I) comprising reacting the compound: with 5-(4-Methyl-1H-imidazol-1-yl-3-(trifluoromethyl)-benzenamine of structure (IVa): wherein R 1 5-(4 methyl-1H-imidazol-1-yl)-3-(trifluoromethyl)-phenyl; R 2 is hydrogen; R 4 is hydrogen, lower alkyl or halogen; and R 3 is lower alkyl, phenyl, phenyl-lower alkyl or substituted phenyl, and wherein the process is catalyzed by a base selected from the group consisting of metal hydride, bulky alkyl lithium, metal alkoxide, metal bis(trimethylsilyl)amide and lithium dialkylamide, in an organic solvent.