4-Chlorobenzyl cyanide (I) is cycloalkylated with 1,3-dibromopropane to yield 1-(4-chlorophenyl)cyclobutyl cyanide (II). The cyclobutyl cyanide (II) is treated with 2-methylpropyl magnesium bromide te give the imine salt (III), which may be either hydrolyzed to the ketone (IV), which is then formylaminated with formamide and formic acid and subsequently hydrolyzed, or reduced with sodium borohydride in ethanol to give 1-[1-(4-chlorophenyl)cyclobutyl]-3-methylbutylamine (V). Eschweiler-Clarke methylation and hydrochloride formation yield N-[1-[1-(4-chlorophenyl)cyclo butyl]-3-methylbutyl]-N,N-dimethylamine hydrochloride monohydrate