Process for producing optically active 2-hydroxy-4-arylbutyric acid or its ester, and intermediate therefor

摘要

Optically active acyloxysuccinic anhydride is reacted with an aromatic compound in the presence of a Lewis acid to produce an optically active 2-acyloxy-4-oxo-4-arylbutyric acid, which can then be converted into an optically active 2-acyloxy-4-arylbutyric acid by catalytic reduction, and the latter compound hydrolyzed in the presence of an acid or an alkali to produce an optically active 2-hydroxy-4-arylbutyric acid, which can optionally be reacted with an alcohol in the presence of an acid to produce an optically active 2-hydroxy-4-arylbutyric acid ester.