Patent ID: 7339058

Claim:
An improved process for the preparation of an N-([1,2,4]triazolopyrimidin-2-yl)aryl sulfonamide of formula I: wherein X represents CH or N; Y represents CZ or N with the proviso that only one of X or Y is N; W represents H or OR with the proviso that when Y represents CZ, then W represents H; Z represents OR; R represent CH 3 or CH 2 CH 3 ; Ar represents wherein A and B independently represent H, halo, CF 3 , R or OR 1 ; D represents H, halo or R; E and G represent S or CB with the proviso that one of E or G is S; and R 1 represents C 1 -C 4 alkyl, C 3 -C 4 alkenyl, or C 3 -C 4 alkynyl each optionally possessing up to two chloro, bromo or C 1 -C 4 alkyl substituents or up to the maximum possible number of fluoro substituents which comprises combining a sulfonyl chloride compound of the formula: ArSO 2 Cl wherein Ar is defined as above with an amine compound of the formula: wherein R, X, Y and W are defined as above in the presence of an aromatic tertiary amine base and a catalytic amount of an N-aryl-sulfilimine compound of the formula: wherein R, X, Y and W are defined as above; R 2 represents CH 3 , or CH 2 CH 3 ; and R 3 represents R 2 or R 2 and R 3 together represent tetramethylene or their salts, wherein the improvement comprises using 3-picoline or 3,5-lutidine as the aromatic tertiary amine base.