salt thereof with a compound of formula iii or a salt thereof where r 2 selected from the group consisting of imidazolyl pyrrolyl n hydroxysuccinimidyl chloro phenoxy substituted phenoxy phenylthio and substituted phenylthio or a salt thereof and the compound of formula iii is another aspect of the invention is a process for the preparation of a compound of formula ii or a salt thereof where ar 1 is phenyl substituted with 0 3 substituents selected from the group consisting of cyano halo alkyl haloalkyl alkoxy haloalkoxy and alkylso 2 and r 1 is hydrogen comprising the reductive amination and deprotection of a compound of formula iv or a salt thereof where ar 1 is phenyl substituted with 0 3 substituents selected from the group consisting of cyano halo alkyl haloalkyl alkoxy haloalkoxy and alkylso 2 and r 1 is trialkylsilyl alkoxy alkylcarbonyl benzyl substituted benzyl benzoyl and pivaloyl another aspect of the invention is a process where ar 1 is 2 3 difluorophenyl and where r 1 is triisopropylsilyl for the compound of formula iv another aspect of the invention is a process for the preparation of a compound of formula iii or a salt thereof where r 2 is imidazolyl comprising coupling 3 n piperidin 4 ylpyridine 2 3 diamine or a salt thereof or 1 piperidin 4 yl 1h imidazo 4 5 b pyridin 2 3h one or a salt thereof with carbonyl diimidazole or triphosgene and imidazole another aspect of the invention is a compound of formula ii or a salt thereof where ar 1 is.