Process for preparing fluoxetine and new intermediates.

PROPYLAMINE 4-METHYL-3 - [(4-trifluoromethyl) phenoxy] -3-phenyl- (I) is prepared by reaction of 3-dimethylamino-1-PHENYL-1-propanol (III) with haloformate (VII) to obtain a CARBAMATE propyl substituted (IX) which is hydrolyzed UNDER CONDITIONS FOR PRODUCING bASIC methylamino-1-pHENYL-1-PROPANOL (X). Then the methylamino-1-PHENYL-1-PROPANOL is converted to fluoxetine (I) by reaction with 4-HALOBENZOTRIFLUORURO (XI). In the process, they obtain certain substituted carbamates as intermediaries.