TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The reaction medium further comprises a phase transfer catalyst. The phase transfer catalyst is tetrabutyl ammonium hydrogen sulfate, tetrabutyl ammonium bromide or 18-crown-6-ether, preferably, tetrabutyl ammonium hydrogen sulfate.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The aqueous basic solution is a sodium hydroxide solution 60 wt/wt.% and the polar protic solvent is butanol. The organic acid is fumaric acid, oxalic acid, succinic acid, citric acid, maleic acid, tartaric acid, trifluoro acetic acid, p-toluenesulfonic acid or methanesulfonic acid, preferably oxalic acid. The base is tert-butoxide, sodium methoxide, sodium ethoxide or potassium hydroxide, preferably potassium tert-butoxide. The organic solvent is methanol, ethanol, dimethylformamide, dimethylsulfoxide (preferred), isopropanol, ethyl acetate, acetonitrile, acetone, n-propyl acetate, methylene dichloride, methyl ethyl ketone and/or water. ACTIVITY - Hypotensive.    MECHANISM OF ACTION - Angiotensin II receptor antagonist.    EXAMPLE - 2-Propyl-4-methyl-6-(r-methylbenzimidazole-2-yl)benzimidazole (10 g) was dissolved in dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) (60 ml). The resulting solution was stirred at room temperature until obtaining a clear solution. Potassium tert-butoxide (3.7 g) were added to the solution and stirred at room temperature for 30 minutes. Afterwards, tert-butyl-4-bromomethylbiphenyl-2-carboxylate (11.45 g) was added and the obtained mixture was stirred at room temperature for 2 hours. At this stage, the reaction was quenched with water (400 ml) and ethyl acetate (200 ml) was added. The aqueous layer was separated and extracted again with ethyl acetate (100 ml). The organic layers were combined and washed twice with water (100 ml). Afterwards, the resulting organic solution was dried with sodium sulfate and filtered. The solvent was partially removed under vacuum. The obtained ethyl acetate solution was treated with a solution of oxalic acid (4.56 g) dissolved in hot methanol (6 ml). The resulting mixture was refluxed for 3 hours. The reaction mass was cooled down to room temperature (25-30 degrees C), stirred for 3 hours, filtered and the obtained solid was washed with ethyl acetate (10 ml). The resulting wet solid was stirred under reflux with methyl ethyl ketone (150 ml) for 2 hours. The reaction mass was then cooled down to 20 degrees C, stirred for 2 hours, filtered and washed with methyl ethyl ketone and to afford the organic salt of telmisartan.