Patent ID: 7902377

Claim:
A process for the preparation of (±)-5[1-(2,3-dimethylphyenyl)ethyl]-1H-imidazole hydrochloride of formula (VIII) which comprises the steps of: a) reacting a 4-imidazole derivative of formula (I) wherein R 1 is halogen, and R 2 is an easily removable leaving group, with 2,3-dimethylbenzaldehyde to obtain a compound of formula (III) wherein R 2 is defined above; b) oxidation of the compound of formula (III) to obtain a compound of formula (IV) wherein R 2 is defined above; c) reaction of the compound of formula (IV) with a Grignard reagent R 3 MgHal, wherein R 3 is alkyl and Hal is halogen, to obtain a compound of formula (V) wherein R 2 is defined above; d) removing the group R 2 from the compound of formula (V) to obtain the compound of formula (VI) e) hydrogenation of the compound of formula (VI) to obtain the compound of formula (VII) f) crystallization of the compound of formula (VII) to obtain the compound of formula (VIII).