Pierre Fabre Medicament

Catherine Diard

Marc Nicolas

Laurent Subra

Paul Hellier

The present invention relates to a method for synthesizing a pharmaceutically acceptable acid addition salt of (1S, 2R)-milnacipran comprising the following successive steps: (a) reaction of phenylacetonitrile and of (R)-epichlorhydrin in the presence of a base containing an alkaline metal, followed by a basic treatment, and then by an acid treatment in order to obtain a lactone; (b) reaction of said lactone with MNEt, wherein M represents an alkaline metal, or with NHEtin the presence of a Lewis acid-amine complex, in order to obtain an amide-alcohol; (c) reaction of said amide-alcohol with thionyl chloride in order to obtain a chlorinated amide; (d) reaction of said chlorinated amide with a phthalimide salt in order to obtain a phthalimide derivative; (e) hydrolysis of the phthalimide group of said phthalimide derivative in order to obtain (1S, 2R)-milnacipran, and (f) salification of (1S, 2R)-milnacipran in a suitable solvent system in the presence of a pharmaceutically acceptable acid.

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Albi, France

Catherine Diard