This invention relates to a process for the preparation of an aminoalkyl phenyl
carbamate compound of formula 1,wherein R1 and R2 independently are
hydrogen or C1-6
alkyl; R3 and R4 are the same or different and each is a lower
alkyl; or R3 and R4 together with the
nitrogen to which they are attached form a cyclic
moiety of a three to eight-member ring, with or without a hetero atom like
nitrogen or
oxygen; R5 and R6 independently are
hydrogen, linear, branched or cyclic C1-6
alkyl, allyl,
propargyl or benzyl; or R5 and R6 together with the
nitrogen to which they are attached form a cyclic
moiety of three to eight member ring, with or without a hetero atom like nitrogen or
oxygen; the carbon center marked with “*” is racemic or enantiomerically enriched (R)- or (S)-configuration; and pharmaceutically acceptable addition salts, and crystalline and amorphous forms thereof comprising the steps of:i) converting an amine R5R6NH to a carbamoylimidazolium salt of formula 3wherein R5 and R6 are as defined above; X− is a
counterion and R7 is an alkyl or
aryl group;ii) reacting in a
solvent at a controlled
reaction temperature the compound of formula 3 with a compound of formula 4,wherein R1, R2, R3, R4 and “*” are as defined above to give the compound of formula 1; andiii) isolating the compound of formula 1.