Process for the preparation of 6,7-dichloro-1,5-dihydroimidazo[2,1-b]quinazolin-2[3H]-one

This invention relates to a new and improved process for the preparation of 6,7-dichloro-1,5-dihydroimidazo[2,1-b]-quinazolin-2[3H]-one of formula (I) (anagrelide), a valuable blood platelet antiaggregative compound. According to the process of the invention the compound of formula (I) is prepared by subjecting a new 2-cyanoiminoquinazoline derivative of the general formula the formula COOR1, in the latter R1 representing lower alkyl optionally carrying a phenyl substituent, to thermal cyclization in an acidic medium. The invention also relates to new 2-cyanoiminoquinazo-lines of the general formula (III) used for the production of anagrelide and to the preparation of the said compounds. The invention provides an advantageous process for the preparation of anagrelide which is devoid of the drawbacks of the hitherto known processes and renders possible the production of the compound of the formula (I) on industrial scale, too.