Eli Lilly and Company

University of East Anglia

Michael William Urquhart

Jason Scott Sawyer

Nicholas J Bach

Stephen Richard Baker

Jeremy Gilmore

Russell Andrew Lewthwaite

Alexander McKillop

George Richard Stephenson

This invention relates to a method of making N-benzyl indoles, and to intermediates for use in the method, and to certain substantially optically pure N-benzyl indoles obtained by the method.

Process for preparing n-benzyl indoles

A process for producing a compound of the formu5la ##STR1## comprising the step of reacting a compound of the formula ##STR2## with a compound of the formula ##STR3## to form a compound of the formula ##STR4## wherein R.sup.2a is selected from the groups recited above for R.sup.2, or R.sup.2a --X-- is a protected hydroxyl group, and Z is a group of formula --Y--R.sub.5 recited above, or a group that can be converted into a group of said formula --Y--R.sup.5. Intermediates of formula IV and composition containing substantially optically pure enantiomers of Formula (I) are included within the scope of the invention.

Process for preparing N-benzyl indoles

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Standings Cross, United Kingdom

Michael William Urquhart