Process for the production of substituted aminophthalides

A process for the production of 3-(Y-phenyl)-3-(4-N--R.sup.2 --N--R.sup.3 -aminophenyl)-6--N--R--N--R.sup.1 -aminophthalides which are of the formula ##STR4## wherein:

• R, R.sup.1, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 may be identical or different and each represents hydrogen, non-tertiary alkyl of one to four carbon atoms, hydroxyalkyl of two or three carbon atoms, phenyl, benzyl or phenyl or benzyl substituted in the benzene ring by one or two of halo or alkyl of one to three carbon atoms;
• and
• Y represents hydrogen, halo, non-tertiary alkyl of one to four carbon atoms, non-tertiary alkoxy of one to four carbon atoms, or dialkylamino or N-alkylbenzylamino in which alkyl in which alkyl is non-tertiary alkyl of one to four carbon atoms and benzyl may be substituted in the benzene ring by one or two of halo or alkyl of one to three carbon atoms,
• which consists of reacting in approximately equimolecular proportions a Y-benzaldehyde, an N--R.sup.2 --N--R.sup.3 -aniline and a 3-(N--R--N--R.sup.1)-aminobenzoic acid in which R, R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3 and Y have the meanings given for Formula (I), in an acidic medium to produce a 2-[(Y-phenyl)(4--N--R.sup.2 --N--R.sup.3 -aminophenyl)methyl]-5--N--R--N--R.sup.1 -aminobenzoic acid of the formula ##STR5## and oxidizing said 2-[(Y-phenyl)(4--N--R.sup.2 --N--R.sup.3 -aminophenyl)methyl]-5--N--R--N--R.sup.1 -aminobenzoic acid of Formula (II) in an aqueous alkaline medium to produce a 3-(Y-phenyl)-3-(4--N--R.sup.2 --N--R.sup.3 -aminophenyl)-6--N--R--N--R.sup.1 -aminophthalide of Formula (I).