A PROCESS FOR PREPARING PYRIDINYLMETHYL-1H- BENZIMIDAZOLE COMPOUNDS IN ENANTIOMERICALLY ENRICHED FORM OR AS SINGLE ENANTIOMERS

摘要

The present invention relates to a process for preparing substituted sulfoxides either as a single enantiomer or in an enantiomerically enriched form. Thus, racemic omeprazole is reacted with (S)-camphorsulfonyl chloride to form a diastereomeric mixture and the diastereomers are separated by fractional crystallization, followed by deprotection to give esomeprazole.