Patent ID: 7179944

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 an alkaline nickel or cobalt catalyst wherein the catalyst has not been pretreated in an acid, and from about 0.5 to about 1.5 equivalent of the compound of formula III of ammonia solution, at a temperature of about 10° C. to about 20° C.