A process of preparing rosiglitazone, or a pharmaceutically acceptable
salt thereof, which process employs an intermediate metabisulphite
complex of 4-[2-(N-methyl-N-(2-pyridyl)amino) ethoxy] benzaldehyde, which
metabisulphite complex is represented by following formula (III); where X
represents an alkali metal. The present invention further provides
rosiglitazone, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, prepared by
the above process.