METHOD OF PRODUCING OPTICALLY ACTIVE TETRAHIDROFURAN-2-CARBOXYLIC ACID

摘要

The present invention is to efficiently manufacture optically active tetrahidrofuran-2-carboxylic acid having a high purity with high productivity. The method for manufacturing highly pure (R)- or (S)-tetrahidrofuran-2-carboxylic acid comprises the steps of: (1) exchanging (R)- or (S)-tetrahidrofuran-2-carboxylic acid and a salt of an aromatic amine with an inorganic metal base in water and removing the aromatic amine with a hydrocarbon-based solvent and/or an ether-based solvent to obtain an aqueous layer containing (R)- or (S)-tetrahidrofuran-2-carboxylic acid; (2) adding mineral acid to the aqueous layer obtained in the first step to achieve acidic pH and extracting with tetrahydrofuran; and (3) concentrating and performing distillation for the extract obtained in the second step.