| abstract |
The present invention relates to a process for the preparation of a well-known antidepressant compound, i.e., citalopram or chemical name 1- [3- (dimethylamino) propyl] -1- (4-fluorophenyl) -1,3-dihydro-5-isobenzofurancarbonitrile. According to the present invention, a compound of formula (IV) wherein R is iodo, chloro or bromo or CF3- (CF2) n-SO2 is as defined above and n is an integer from 0 to 8. - a cyanide source, such as potassium cyanide, sodium cyanide or a compound of formula (R'4N) CN, in which R'4 represents four groups which may be the same or different and may be selected from the group consisting of hydrogen or straight or branched alkyl containing 1 to 6 carbon atoms. in the presence of a palladium catalyst and a catalytic amount of Cu + or Zn2 + or in the presence of a zinc dicyanide in the presence of a palladium catalyst and the corresponding 5-cyano derivative, i.e., citalopram, is isolated as a base or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt. HE |