PROCESS FOR PRODUCING CAMPTOTHECIN.

摘要

A process for economically producing a large amount of camptothecin which is the starting compound for irinotecan hydrochloride and various camptothecin derivatives, characterized by involving the following steps (a) and (b): (a) the step of hydrolyzing 9 methoxycamptothecin or a natural material containing 9 methoxycamptothecin; and (b) the step of converting the 9 hydroxycamptothecin obtained in the step (a) into a 9 o perfluoro(lower alkyl)sulfonyl or 9 o phenyltetarzolyl derivative followed by the hydrogenolysis into camptothecin.