Patent ID: 7476762

Claim:
A method for preparing a compound of the structure: wherein: R 1 through R 5 are, independently, selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogen, lower alkyl, lower alkoxy, OCF 3 , OCF 2 H, CF 3 , NO 2 , CN, CH 3 CO, and SCH 3 ; R 6 and R 7 are, independently, selected from the group consisting of lower alkyl, CF 3 (CF s H r ) p and CF 3 (CH m F q ) n ; n and p are, independently, 0 to 20; m, q, r, and s are, independently, 0 to 2; provided that m+q=2 and r+s=2; said method comprising: (a) reacting R 6 CH 2 CH 2 X, wherein X is halogen, with P(R 8 ) 3 , wherein R 8 is aryl or alkoxy, to form a compound of the structure: (b) reacting the product of step (a) and a first base at a temperature of about −70° C. to about 25° C.; (c) reacting the product of step (b) with YC(O)OR 9 , wherein Y is halogen and R 9 is alkyl, at a temperature below about −20° C. to form a compound of the structure: (d) isolating the product of step (c); (e) reacting dehydrated R 7 CHO, which is free of acidic impurities, and the product of step (d) to form a compound of the structure: (f) hydrogenating the product of step (e) to form a compound of the structure: (g) reacting the product of step (f) with a N,O-dialkylhydroxylamine hydrochloride and a second base to form a compound of the structure: (h) reacting the product of step (g) with a first reducing agent to form a compound of the structure: (i) reacting the product of step (h), a chiral auxiliary compound, and one or more of a Lewis acid and dehydrating agent, to form a compound of the structure: (j) cyanating the product of step (i) to form a compound of the structure: (k) reacting the product of step (j) and an aqueous acid; (l) reacting the product of step (k) with R 10 OH, where R 10 is alkyl, substituted alkyl, aryl, substituted aryl, benzyl, or substituted benzyl, in the presence of an acid to form a compound of the structure: (m) reacting the product of step (l) with a sulfonyl compound of the structure: wherein, Z is halogen, to form a compound of the structure: (n) reacting the product of step (m) with a second reducing agent; and (o) quenching the reaction of step (n).