TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preparation (Claimed): Preparation of (III), comprises adding an amine ligand to a mixture of a zinc compound and an alkali metal azide, and conducting a reaction. Preferred Components: The zinc compound is zinc nitrate hexahydrate, zinc chloride, zinc bromide or zinc iodide. The alkali metal azide is lithium azide, sodium azide or potassium azide.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The process-1 uses a single or mixture solvent comprising toluene, xylene, ethylbenzene, chlorobenzene, o-, m- or p-chlorotoluene, dichlorobenzene, trifluoromethylbenzene, dimethylformamide, dimethylacetamide, N-methylpyrrolidinone, dimethylsulfoxide, ethanol, propanol, isopropanol, butanol, tert-butanol, pentanol, cyclopropanol, cyclobutanol, cyclopentanol and/or cyclohexanol. Preferred Process: The reaction is conducted at 90-130?oC, preferably 100-120?oC. In the process-1, when (II) comprises a reactive substituent or a substituent capable of reacting with azide, where the process-1 further comprises protecting the reactive substituent, forming a tetrazole ring, and then removing the corresponding protecting group. Preferred Definitions:    L1 = bidentate ligand comprising (CH3-N(-CH3)((-CH2)2-N(-CH3)2)), ((CH3)2-N-(CH2)3-N(-CH3)2), ((CH3)2-CH2(-CH3)-CH2-N(-CH3)2), ((CH3)2-N(-CH2)2-O-(CH2)2-N(-CH3)2), ((CH3)2-N-CH2-C(=O)-CH3), (CH3-C(=O)-CH2-C(=O)-CH3), N,N'-dibenzyl-ethane-1,2-diamine, 1-methyl-piperazine or 2-((E)-phenyliminomethyl)-phenol;    a = 1;    b = 2;    c = 0;    R= linear or branched 1-6C alkyl or 3-6C cycloalkyl (both optionally substituted by at least 1 halo, hydroxy, 1-6C alkyl, 1-6C alkoxy or phenyl, pyridinyl, pyrimidinyl, imidazolyl, thiophenyl or furanyl (all optionally substituted by at least 1 1-6C alkyl, halo, hydroxy, nitro or 1-6C alkoxy)), phenyl substituted by R1 and R2 or group of formula (i), and    R1, R2=H, halo, hydroxy, nitro, 1-6C alkyl, 3-6C cycloalkyl or 1-6C alkoxy or phenylmethyl, pyridylmethyl, pyrimidylmethyl, imidazolylmethyl, benzimidazolylmethyl, thiophenylmethyl or furanylmethyl (all optionally substituted by at least 1-4 halo, carboxy, oxo, 1-6C alkyl, 1-6C alkoxy, hydroxy-1-6C alkyl, 1-6C alkoxycarbonyl, 1-6C alkoxycarbonyl-1-6C alkyl, 3-6C alkanediyl, di(1-6C alkyl)aminothiocarbonyl-1-6C alkyl, cilexetiloxycarbonyl (sic) or medoxomiloxycarbonyl (sic), or amino or amino-1-6C alkyl (both optionally substituted by 1 or 2 1-6C alkyl, 3-6C cycloalkyl, 1-6C alkylcarbonyl, carboxy-1-6C alkyl or 1-6C alkoxycarbonyl-1-6C alkyl)).    ACTIVITY - Hypotensive; Cardiovascular-Gen.    MECHANISM OF ACTION - Angiotensin II receptor blocker.    SPECIFIC COMPOUNDS - 13 Specific compounds (I) are prepared e.g. losartan, valsartan of formula (Ia), methyl (2S)-3-methyl-2-(pentanoyl-((4-(2-(1H-tetrazol-5-yl)phenyl)phenyl)methyl)amino)butanoate, candesartan cilexetil, and olmcsartan medoxomil.    EXAMPLE - Zinc nitrate hexahydrate (6.25 kg) and water (4 l) were added into a reactor and stirred at room temperature for complete dissolution. A solution of sodium azide (2.73 kg) completely dissolved in water (7.5 l) was added into the reactor. After the reaction temperature was elevated to 45-50?oC, N,N,N',N'-tetramethylethylenediamine (2.5 kg) was slowly added dropwise over 1 hour, and the mixture was stirred for 3 hours at the same temperature. After the reaction mixture was cooled to room temperature, the generated solid was filtered, washed with water (11 l) and dried under nitrogen to obtain zinc azide complex.