Patent ID: 7439339

Claim:
A process for forming a diazo compound comprising reacting a mixture consisting essentially of an organic compound bearing an acidic hydrogen with an aromatic-diazonium salt in aqueous solution in the presence of an inorganic base and a non-halogenated organic solvent in accordance with the equation: RH being defined as one of the following: wherein R 1 is selected from the group consisting of halogen, acylamino, carbamoyl, alkyl, and alkoxy groups, which may be further substituted; R 2 is selected from the group consisting of alkyl, acylaniino, anilino, alkylamino, dialkylamino, ureido, alkoxy group, which bears further substitution such as an aryl or heteroaryl group, further substituted by alkyl, alkoxy, aryloxy, halogeno, acylamino, and sulfoamido groups; R 3 is selected from the group consisting of aryl and heteroaryl groups; and Ar is an aromatic group, wherein the reaction mixture is free of phase transfer catalyst.