PROCESS FOR THE EFFICIENT PREPARATION OF 3-HYDROXY PYRROLIDINE AND DERIVATIVES THEREOF

摘要

The present invention relates to an effective process for the preparation of 3-hydroxypyrrolidine or derivatives thereof. The process comprises (a) protecting a hydroxyl group of 4-halo-3-hydroxybutyric acid, (b) reducing an ester group of the compound obtained from the step (a) to obtain a corresponding alcohol compound, (c) reacting the compound obtained from the step (b) with sulfonyl halide to produce a corresponding sulfonate compound, (d) reacting the compound obtained from the step (c) with an amine to obtain 3-hydroxy-protected pyrrolidine compound, and (e) deprotecting the compound obtained from the step (d) to produce the targeted 3-hydroxypyrrolidine or derivatives thereof. The process provides 3-hydroxypyrrolidine or derivatives thereof with high optical purity, because optical purity of the starting material is substantially retained. In the process, each of the steps is carried out in a mild condition and does not require any special purification. This means that the process is useful and adequate for industrial mass production of 3-hydroxypyrrolidine and derivatives thereof having high optical purity.