Patent ID: 7563931

Claim:
A process for the preparation of a compound of formula, wherein R 1 and R 2 are ortho or para substituents, independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, hydroxyl, C 1 -C 6 alkyl, C 1 -C 6 alkoxy, C 7 -C 9 aralkoxy, C 2 -C 7 alkanoyloxy, C 1 -C 6 alkylmercapto, halo and trifluoromethyl; R 3 is hydrogen or C 1 -C 6 alkyl ; R 4 is hydrogen, C 1 -C 6 alkyl, formyl or C 2 -C 7 alkanoyl; n is one of the integers 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4; and the dotted line represents optional olefinic unsaturation; comprising, hydrogenating a compound of formula III, in the presence of a nickel or cobalt catalyst, at a temperature of about 10° C. to about 20° C.