PROCESS FOR PRODUCING OPTICALLY ACTIVE 2-ALKOXY-1-(TRIFLUOROMETHYL-SUBSTITUTED PHENYL)ETHANOL DERIVATIVES

摘要

A process for producing an optically active 2-alkoxy-1-(trifluoromethyl-substituted phenyl)ethanol derivative represented by the formula 5: where R2 represents a C1-C6 lower alkyl group, n represents 1 or 2 and * represents a chiral carbon, includes the steps of (a) reducing an optically active, hydroxyl-protective, trifluoromethyl-substituted mandelate represented by the formula 1, by a hydride reducing agent, into an optically active, hydroxyl-protective 2-hydroxy-1-(trifluoromethyl-substituted phenyl)ethanol represented by the formula 2; (b) reacting the hydroxyl-protective hydroxyethanol represented by the formula 2, with an alkylation agent represented by the formula 3, in the presence of a base, thereby producing an optically active, hydroxyl-protective 2-alkoxy-1-(trifluoromethyl-substituted phenyl)ethanol represented by the formula 4; and (c) deprotecting the hydroxyl-protective alkoxyethanol represented by the formula 4 into the alkoxyethanol derivative represented by the formula 5.