PROCESS FOR PRODUCING FUSED IMIDAZOLE COMPOUND, REFORMATSKY REAGENT IN STABLE FORM, AND PROCESS FOR PRODUCING THE SAME

摘要

A process for industrially advantageously producing a steroid C17,20-lyase inhibitor represented by the following general formula (I); and a Reformatsky reagent in a stable form which is suitable for use in the production process. Either a specific ß-hydroxy ester compound derivative obtained from a specific carbonyl compound by the Reformatsky reaction or a salt of the compound is reduced in the presence of a metal/hydrogen complex compound and a metal halide and then subjected to ring closure to thereby obtain a compound represented by the general formula (I): (I) wherein the symbols have the same meanings as defined in the description. In the Reformatsky reaction, a stable solution of the compound represented by BrZnCH2COOC2H5 or crystals of the compound represented by (BrZnCH2COOC2H5.THF)2 are useful.