PROCESS FOR PREPARING L-CARNITINE BY EMPLOYING (R)-EPIBROMOHYDRIN AS A STARTING MATERIAL

摘要

PURPOSE: Provided is a process for preparing L-carnitine with higher yield by employing inexpensive (R)-epibromohydrin as a starting material. CONSTITUTION: The L-carnitine represented by the formula 1 is prepared by the process comprising the steps of: (a) reacting (R)-epibromohydrin with trimethylamine; and (b) subsequently reacting the resultant obtained in the step (a) with acetonitrile in the presence of a reaction catalyst and under an acidic condition. In the process, the trimethylamine is employed in an equivalent of 0.5-10, and the acetonitrile is employed in an equivalent of 5-100, each being based on the weight of (R)-epibromohydrin. Particularly, the reaction catalyst comprises 18-crown-6-ether and potassium cyanide.