Patent ID: 7223871

Claim:
A process for preparing compounds of formula (I) and acid addition salts thereof in which Y is —CH 2 — or —CO—, R 1 is H, halogen or hydroxy, R 2 is H or halogen and R 3 is H or lower alkyl, comprising the steps of a) halogenating a compound of formula (II) wherein Y, R 1 , R 2 and R 3 are as defined above, to obtain a compound of formula (III) wherein Y, R 1 , R 2 and R 3 are as defined above and X is halogen, b) reacting the compound of formula (III) thus obtained with an amine of formula R 4 NH 2 , wherein R 4 is an aralkyl group, and an alkali metal thiocyanate to obtain a compound of formula (IV) wherein Y, R 1 , R 2 , R 3 and R 4 are as defined above, c) removing the mercapto group from the compound of formula (IV) to obtain a compound of formula (V) wherein Y, R 1 , R 2 , R 3 and R 4 are as defined above, d) removing the group R 4 from the compound of formula (V) to obtain a compound of formula (I), and, if desired, e) converting the resulting compound of formula (I) into an acid addition salt thereof.