TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Method: The method further comprises preparing the 2,4-dichloro-7-alkoxy quinoline (III) by a cyclization reaction of an m-alkoxy aniline of formula (II) with malonic acid in the presence of a chlorinating agent. The Suzuki coupling reaction is conducted in the presence of a base and in the presence of a palladium catalyst. The Suzuki coupling reaction is conducted with heating to 50-100 degrees C and under an inert atmosphere. The compound (I) is further reacted with a methylsulfonyl (MeSO2) salt to replace the 4-chloro group with -SO2Me, under acidic conditions. Preferred Components: The brominating agent is N-bromosuccinamide, bromine or 1,3-dibromo-5,5-dimethylhydantoin. The palladium catalyst is a palladium catalyst with phosphine ligands, preferably tetrakis triphenylphosphine palladium. The Suzuki coupling reagent is an aryl boronic acid or ester and the 2-chloro group is replaced with the aryl group by the reaction. Preferred Definitions:    R = phenyl, naphthyl, furanyl, thiophenyl, indolyl, pyrazolyl, isoxazolyl or thiazolyl (all optionally substituted one or more times by halo, alkyl, alkoxy, haloalkyl, -NH-alkyl or -NP1-alkyl);    P1 = amino protecting group such as tert-butoxycarbonyl; and    Alk = methyl.    SPECIFIC COMPOUNDS - Preparation of 13 compounds (I) is disclosed e.g. 8-bromo-4-chloro-7-methoxy-2-phenyl-quinoline of formula (Ia), 8-bromo-4-chloro-2-(4-fluoro-phenyl)-7-methoxy-quinoline, 8-bromo-4-chloro-2-(4-ethoxy-phenyl)-7-methoxy-quinoline, 8-bromo-4-chloro-7-methoxy-2-(4-trifluoromethyl-phenyl)-quinoline, and 8-bromo-4-chloro-7-methoxy-2-m-tolyl-quinoline.    EXAMPLE - Degassed methyl cyanide (3 ml) and water (1 ml) were added to a mixture of 8-bromo-2,4-dichloro-7-methoxy-quinoline (100 mg), boronic acid (1.1 equiv), potassium carbonate (90 mg), and tetrakis triphenylphosphine palladium (7.5 mg). The mixture was stirred under nitrogen at 80 degrees C for 2-12 hours until the starting material was completely consumed, then quenched at room temperature by addition of ethyl acetate (5 ml) and water (5 ml). The ethyl acetate layer was washed with water (10 ml), brine (10 ml), dried over sodium sulfate, concentrated, and purified by column chromatography to give 8-bromo-4-chloro-7-methoxy-2-phenyl-quinoline (77%).