METHOD FOR THE SYNTHESIS OF PANTOPRAZOLE AND INTERMEDIATES

摘要

The invention relates to a method for the synthesis of pantoprazole and intermediates, using a compound having formula (III), in which X represents: OR, wherein R represents C1-C5 alkyl or benzyl; or NR'R'', wherein R' and R'' represent independently of each other hydrogen, C1-C5 alkyl or benzyl. More specifically, the invention relates to two alternative pantoprazole-synthesis methods. The first alternative consists in subjecting the compound (III) to a sulphur oxidation process in order to produce the corresponding derivative sulfinyl which is subsequently subjected to alkaline hydrolysis and decarboxylation in order to produce pantoprazole. The second alternative consists in subjecting the compound (III) to a prior process comprising alkaline hydrolysis and decarboxylation and, optionally, purification in order to produce high-purity 5-(difluoromethoxy)-2-(3,4-dimethoxy-2-pyridyl)methylthio)-1H-benzimidazol, which is subsequently subjected to an oxidation process in order to produce pantoprazole.