Trifluoromethylimidazoles and a method for their preparation

A process for preparing a compound of the formula:

• ##STR9## wherein R.sub.2 is hydrogen,
• methyl,
• C.sub.3 -c.sub.5 alkyl,
• 2-dimethylaminoethyl,
• 1-dimethylamino-2-methyl-2-propyl,
• pyridyl,
• pyridyl-N-oxide,
• monomethylpyridyl,
• dimethylpyridyl,
• 6-quinolyl,
• 2-quinolyl,
• 3-quinolyl,
• 4-quinolyl,
• pyrazinyl,
• methoxypyrazinyl,
• 4-chlorophenyl-4-pyrazolyl,
• 4-thiazolyl,
• phenyl,
• o-cyanophenyl,
• p-ethylphenyl,
• p-sulfamoylphenyl,
• p-N-methylsulfamoylphenyl,
• p-methoxyphenyl,
• 3-furyl,
• 2-thienyl,
• o-methoxyphenyl,
• p-acetylaminophenyl,
• p-cyanophenyl,
• p-dimethylaminophenyl,
• 5-indanyl,
• 1-indanyl,
• 3,4-dichlorophenyl,
• p-carboxyphenyl,
• 2-indanyl,
• 2-naphthyl,
• 1-naphthyl,
• monohalophenyl,
• p-methylsulfonamidophenyl,
• p-diethylaminoethoxyphenyl,
• diphenylmethyl,
• 1-methyl-4-pyrazolyl,
• p-nitrophenyl,
• 2-aminophenyl,
• 2-furyl,
• 2,4-dichlorophenyl,
• p-carboxyphenyl,
• monomethylphenyl,
• 3. 4-methylenedioxyphenyl,
• p-isopropylphenyl,
• 3,4-dimethoxyphenyl,
• p-N,N-dimethylsulfamoylphenyl,
• p-methylaminophenyl,
• 2,6-dimethyl-4-pyridyl,
• 4,6-dimethyl-2-pyridyl,
• pyrazinyl,
• m-methoxymethoxyphenyl,
• p-diethylaminoethoxyphenyl,
• 1-benzyl-4-pyrazolyl,
• 1-phenyl-4-pyrazolyl,
• 1-methyl-4-pyrazolyl, and
• 1-piperidino-2-methyl-2-propyl
• which comprises the steps of
• (a) treating 1,1-dihalo-3,3,3-trifluroacetone with a base and then
• (b) treating the resulting mixture with ammonia and the appropriate carboxaldehyde.