The present invention provides a process tor preparing a compound ot" formula (VI) or a salt thereof, the process.comprising: (i) reacting 4-merhoxyphenyl acetone with an amine of formula (VOX) tinder conditions of reductive animation to pro-duce a compound of formula (II) or a salt thereof, wherein there is no isolation of an imine intermediate formed during the reduc-live amination (ii) condensing the compound (If) or the acid addition salt thereof with an a-haloketone of formula (TH) to produce the compound of formula (TV) (iii) reducing the compound (IV) to a compound of formula (V) and (iv) reducing the compound (V) to the compound of formula (VI), wherein the reduction is carried out in the presence of" either (1 ) a hydrogen donating com pound in the presence of a hydrogen transfer catalyst or (2) ammonium formate using a hydrogenation catalyst, wherein: Rl and R2 are independently optionally substituted arylalkyl, and Hal is selected from chloro or bromo.
