TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The base used in the step (d) is aqueous ammonia, sodium hydroxide, calcium hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, lithium hydroxide, sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, potassium bicarbonate, lithium carbonate, sodium tert-butoxide, sodium isopropoxide and potassium tert-butoxide. The reducing agent used in step (b) is hydrogenation catalysts (metal catalysts), hydride agents, borane and borane-tetrahydrofuran (THF) complex, preferably platinum, palladium, palladium hydroxide, palladium on carbon, platinum oxide, rhodium, Raney-Nickel (preferred), lithium aluminum hydride, sodium borohydride/Lewis acid, lithium borohydride, sodium cyanoborohydride, diisobutylaluminum hydride, lithium tri-tert-butoxyaluminum hydride, sodium bis(2-methoxyethoxy)aluminum hydride, borane and borane-THF complex, where the ammonia is used in the form of aqueous ammonia or in the form of ammonia gas or ammonia saturated in an organic solvent. The base used in the step (e) is aqueous ammonia, sodium hydroxide, calcium hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, lithium hydroxide, sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, potassium bicarbonate, lithium carbonate, sodium tert-butoxide, sodium isopropoxide and potassium tert-butoxide.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Method: The reaction in step (a) is carried out: in the presence of a carboxylic acid and an organic amine; in the presence of a first solvent; and at a temperature of 25 degrees C or 60 degrees C to the reflux temperature of the solvent used. The reduction in step (b) is carried out in the presence of a second solvent and optionally carried out in the presence of ammonia. The aromatization in step (c) is optionally carried out: in the presence of a third solvent; and as a neat reaction, in the absence of solvent. The reaction in the step (d) is optionally carried out in the presence of a base. The acetylation in the step (d) is carried out in the presence of a fourth solvent. The reaction in the step (e) is optionally carried out in the presence of a base. The methylation in the step (e) is carried out in the presence of a fifth solvent. Preferred Components: In step (a): the carboxylic acid is 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, a linear or branched alkyl carboxylic acid, an optionally aryl carboxylic acid, or an optionally substituted linear or branched aralkyl carboxylic acid; the organic amine is benzyl amine or morpholine, a linear or branched alkyl amine, an optionally substituted aryl amine, or an optionally linear or branched aralkyl amine; and the first solvent is a hydrocarbon solvent, halogenated hydrocarbon solvent and/or an ether, or toluene, xylene, anisole, ethylbenzene, tetrachloroethylene, cyclohexene and/or mesitylene. The second solvent used in the step (b) is water, an alcohol, an ester, a hydrocarbon solvent and/or an ether, preferably methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, n-butanol, tert-butanol, ethyl acetate, methyl acetate, isopropyl acetate, tert-butyl methyl acetate, ethyl formate, n-pentane, n-hexane, n-heptane, cyclohexane, toluene, xylene, tetrahydrofuran, 2-methyl tetrahydrofuran, dioxane, diethyl ether, diisopropyl ether, methyl tert-butyl ether, monoglyme and/or diglyme. The acid addition salts of (IV) are 2-(7-hydroxy-3,4-dihydro-1-naphthalenyl)ethanamine hydrochloride salt and 2-(7-hydroxy-3,4-dihydro-1-naphthalenyl)ethanamine hydrobromide salt. The reagent for facilitating the aromatization reaction in step (c) is sulfur or its derivatives, selenium metal, aqueous hydrobromic acid, metal catalysts and quinone derivatives, preferably sulfur, aqueous hydrobromic acid, 2,3,5,6-tetrachlorocyclohexa-2,5-diene-1,4-dione (p-chloranil), selenium metal, palladium on carbon in various percentages, platinum oxide, Raney nickel, palladium oxide, p-bromanil, p-floranil, 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyano-benzoquinone (DDQ), 2,3-dibromo-5,6-dicyano benzoquinone, 2,3-dicyano-4-chlorobenzoquinone, 2,3-dicyanobenzoquinone, 1,2-benzoquinones, 1,3-benzoquinones, o-chloranil, o-bromanil and o-floranil. The starting material, which is 2-(7-hydroxy-3,4-dihydro-1-naphthalenyl)ethanamine of (IV) in step (c) is employed in the form of an acid addition salt, preferably hydrochloride salt. The third solvent used in step (c) is water, a halogenated hydrocarbon, an ester, a hydrocarbon, an ether and/or a polar aprotic solvent, preferably dichloromethane, dichloroethane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, methyl acetate, isopropyl acetate, tert-butyl methyl acetate, ethyl formate, n-pentane, n-hexane, n-heptane, cyclohexane, toluene, xylene, tetrahydrofuran, 2-methyl tetrahydrofuran, dioxane, diethyl ether, diisopropyl ether, methyl tert-butyl ether, monoglyme, diglyme, acetonitrile, propionitrile, N,N-dimethylformamide, N,N-dimethylacetamide and/or dimethylsulfoxide. The acid addition salts of (V) are 2-(7-hydroxy-1-naphthyl)ethanamine hydrochloride salt and 2-(7-hydroxy-1-naphthyl)ethanamine hydrobromide salt. The acetylating agent used in the step (d) is acetic anhydride, sodium acetate (both preferred), acetyl chloride, acetyl bromide and/or acetyl iodide. The fourth and fifth solvents are water, an alcohol, a hydrocarbon solvent, an ester, a ketone, an ether, a nitrile, a polar aprotic solvent and/or a halogenated hydrocarbon solvent, preferably methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, n-butanol, ethyl acetate, methyl acetate, isopropyl acetate, tert-butyl methyl acetate, ethyl formate, acetone, n-pentane, n-hexane, n-heptane, cyclohexane, toluene, xylene, tetrahydrofuran, 2-methyl tetrahydrofuran, dioxane, diethyl ether, diisopropyl ether, methyl tert-butyl ether, monoglyme, diglyme, acetonitrile, propionitrile, N,N-dimethylformamide, N,N-dimethylacetamide, dimethylsulfoxide, dichloromethane, dichloroethane and/or chloroform. The methylating agent used in the step (e) is dimethyl sulfate (preferred) or methyl iodide. ACTIVITY - Antidepressant.    MECHANISM OF ACTION - Melatonergic receptor agonist; 5-Hydroxytryptamine (5HT) 2C receptor antagonist.    ADMINISTRATION - Administration of (I) is oral. No dosage details given.    EXAMPLE - 50 g of 2-(7-Hydroxy-1-naphthyl)ethanamine hydrochloride, 36.5 g of sodium acetate and 34 g of acetic anhydride were added to 250 ml of methanol. The reaction mixture was heated at reflux temperature of 65-68 degrees C for 15-20 minutes, followed by the addition of 200 ml of 10% sodium hydroxide solution under reflux. The reaction mixture was cooled at room temperature of 25-30 degrees C, followed by the addition of 250 ml of distilled water. The resulting mixture was cooled to 0-10 degrees C, followed by adjusting the pH to below with concentrated hydrochloric acid. The resulting solid was filtered and then dried to produce 50 g of N-(2-(7-hydroxy-1-naphthyI)ethyl)acetamide (A), which was re-crystallized from 500 ml of water to give 46 g of pure (A). 35 g of (A), 30 g of potassium carbonate and 20 g of dimethyl sulfate were added to 175 ml of acetone at room temperature of 25-30 degrees C. The reaction mixture was refluxed for 5 hours. After completion of the reaction, the reaction mass was cooled to room temperature and added to 200 ml of water. The resulting solid was filtered and then dried to produce 35 g of agomelatine with yield of 94.5%.