Process for preparing 2-(4-trifluoromethoxyphenyl)ethylamine and 4-bromomethyl-and 4-chloromethyl-1-trifluoromethoxybenzene

Abstract

The invention relates to a process for preparing 2-(4-trifluoromethoxyphenyl)ethylamine in an advantageous manner by (a) converting trifluoromethoxybenzene by halomethylation into halogenomethyl-1-trifluoromethoxybenzene, (b) converting the halogenomethyl-1-trifluoromethoxybenzene by halogen-cyano exchange into 4-(trifluoromethoxyphenyl)acetonitrile, and (c) reducing the 4-(trifluoromethoxyphenyl)acetonitrile using hydrogen in the presence of a nickel catalyst to form 2-(4-trifluoromethoxyphenyl)ethylamine. The first step of this process also represents an advantageous process for preparing 4-bromomethyl- and 4-chloromethyl-1-trifluoromethoxybenzene.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.