Patent ID: 8071782

Claim:
A process for the preparation of compounds of Formula (I) and salts thereof: comprising (a) reacting a hydrazone of formula (II): with a nitroolefin of formula (III): in the presence of a strong base of formula (XI): in a polar, aprotic organic solvent; and (b) quenching the reaction with a strong acid; wherein R 1 is C 1-6 alkyl, or an aryl group unsubstituted or substituted with one or two R a substituents; where each R a is independently â€”OH, â€”OC 1-6 alkyl, â€”CN, â€”N(R b )R c , â€”C(O)N(R b )R c , â€”N(R d )C(O)R d , â€”N(R d )SO 2 C 1-6 alkyl, â€”C(O)C 1-6 alkyl, â€”S(O) 0-2 â€”C 1-6 alkyl, â€”SO 2 N(R b )R c , halo, â€”CF 3 , â€”COOH, and â€”COOC 1-6 alkyl; where R b and R c are each independently â€”H or â€”C 1-6 alkyl; and where R d is â€”H or â€”C 1-6 alkyl; R 3 is â€”CO 2 C 1-4 alkyl, or an aryl or heteroaryl group unsubstituted or substituted with one or two R e substituents; where each R e is independently â€”OH, â€”OC 1-6 alkyl, â€”CN, â€”N(R f )R g , â€”C(O)N(R f )R g , â€”N(R h )C(O)R h , â€”N(R h )SO 2 C 1-6 alkyl, â€”C(O)C 1-6 alkyl, â€”S(O) 0-2 â€”C 1-6 alkyl, â€”SO 2 N(R f )R g , halo, â€”CF 3 , â€”COOH, and â€”COOC 1-6 alkyl; where R f and R g are each independently â€”H or â€”C 1-6 alkyl; and where R h is â€”H or â€”C 1-6 alkyl; R 4 is an aryl or heteroaryl group unsubstituted or substituted with one or two R i substituents; where each R i is independently â€”OH, â€”OC 1-6 alkyl, â€”CN, â€”N(R j )R k , â€”C(O)N(R j )R k , â€”N(R l )C(O)R l , â€”N(R l )SO 2 C 1-6 alkyl, â€”C(O)C 1-6 alkyl, â€”S(O) 0-2 â€”C 1-6 alkyl, â€”SO 2 N(R j )R k , halo, â€”CF 3 , â€”COOH, and â€”COOC 1-6 alkyl; where R j and R k are each independently â€”H or â€”C 1-6 alkyl; and where R l is â€”H or â€”C 1-6 alkyl; R 5 is H or methyl; or R 4 and R 5 together form â€”(CH 2 ) 4 â€”; M is lithium, sodium, or potassium, A is carbon or silicon; each R 6 is independently C 1-4 alkyl; and R 7 is H or C 1-4 alkyl.