TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Process: In the process (M1): in the conversion of duloxetine (I) into duloxetine salt with an acid, the acid is selected such that it provides the anion of the target duloxetine salt, preferably hydrochloride, in an organic solvent selected from ethers, esters, ketones, and/or hydrocarbons (preferably isopropyl acetate), and the conversion is carried out in the presence of an organic acid, preferably selected from formic acid, acetic acid, propanoic acid, and/or butanoic acid, more preferably acetic acid. The process involves: recrystallization of the duloxetine salt, preferably duloxetine hydrochloride, in a mixture of at least one organic solvent selected from ether, ester, alcohol, hydrocarbon, preferably isopropanol, and an organic acid, preferably selected from formic acid, acetic acid, propanoic acid, and/or butanoic acid, more preferably acetic acid. The process involves reaction between (S)-3-(methylamino)-1-(2-thienyl)-1-propanol and 1-fluoronaphthalene is performed as a first reaction step at 30-90 (preferably 35-70, especially 40-50) degrees C. The reaction between (S)-3-dimethyl-amino-1-(2-thienyl)-1-propanol and 1-fluoronaphthalene is performed as a first reaction step at 30-90 (preferably 40-70, especially 55-65) degrees C. The compound (IIa) in the step (i) is 3-(dimethyl-amino)-1-(2-thienyl)-1-propanol and the complete process is carried out without isolation of intermediate products. The step of formation of a duloxetine salt is carried out with an excess of acid up to 1.5 (preferably up to 1.1) equivalents, where the indicated relative amount specifies the amount of the acid providing the anion for the duloxetine salt to be formed. Preferred Definitions:    R=CH3.    ACTIVITY - Antidepressant; Uropathic. No biological data given.    MECHANISM OF ACTION - Serotonin inhibitor; Norepinephrine inhibitor.    EXAMPLE - To a suspension of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) (75 ml) and NaH (60% suspension in mineral oil; 2.9 g) (S)-(-)-N,N-dimethyl-3-hydroxy-3-(2-thienyl)propanamine was added at 20-25 degrees C. The reaction mixture was heated to 40 degrees C and a solution of 1-fluoro-naphthalene (9 ml) in DMSO (10 ml) was slowly added dropwise. After complete addition the suspension was heated to 50 degrees C and kept at 50 degrees C overnight. After 18 hours the mixture was cooled to 20 degrees C and carefully poured into the ice-cold mixture of water (200 ml) and acetic acid ( 12 ml). The mixture was heated to 20 degrees C (pH was 5-5.5) and hexane (80 ml) was added. After 10 minutes of stirring, the phases were separated. The aqueous phase was alkalized with 10% NaOH and extracted into toluene (100 ml) containing (S)-N,N-dimethyl-3-(naphthalen-1-yloxy)-3-(thiophen-2-yl)propan-1-amine was heated to 55 degrees C, diisopropylethylamine (0.69 ml) and phenyl chloroformate (10.35 ml) were added slowly dropwise. The mixture was heated for 1.25 hours, and NaHCO3 (1%, 215 ml) was added and phases were separated. The organic phase was rinsed with HCl (0.5 M) and NaHCO3 (1%). The rinsed toluene phase was concentrated, dissolved in DMSO (150 ml), heated to 45 degrees C, and the aqueous solution of NaOH (8.7 g, 50 ml) was added and heated for 18 hours at 50 degrees C. After the hydrolysis was completed the cooled mixture was poured into an ice-cold mixture of water and acetic acid. The aqueous phase was rinsed, alkalized with a base and extracted into isopropyl acetate. The product was dried to obtain duloxetine hydrochloride (13.5 g, purity 99.71% and 99% ee), which was recrystallized from isopropanol to obtain duloxetine hydrochloride (12.46 g, HPLC purity 99.92% and 99.9 % ee).