Patent ID: 7074921

Claim:
A process for the preparation of a compound of formula I wherein R is Cl, Br, CN, optionally substituted phenyl or optionally substituted 2-, 3- or 4-pyridyl; R 1 is optionally substituted lower alkyl, optionally substituted aryl or optionally substituted heterocyclo; R 2 is optionally substituted lower alkyl or optionally substituted aralkyl; Z is CO or SO 2 ; A is hydrogen or, optionally, R 3 is hydrogen or lower alkyl; and n is 1 or 2, which process comprises the steps of: a) reacting a compound of formula XII wherein R, R 1 , R 2 , and Z are as recited hereinabove and R 5 is lower alkyl or optionally substituted phenyl, with a base to form a compound of formula I wherein A is hydrogen; and b) optionally reacting the product of step a) with a heterocyclic aldehyde of the formula XIII wherein R 3 and n are as recited hereinabove, under reductive alkylation conditions to form a compound of formula I wherein A is