Takasago International Corporation

Seiji Watanabe

Hidenori Kumobayashi

Shigeru Mitsuhashi

Toru Watanabe

Toshiyuki Takezawa

Kenji Asahina

Mitsuhiko Fujihara

A process for producing a (4S)-4-(N,N-dibenzyl)amino-5-phenyl-3-oxo-pentanenitrile derivative which comprises reacting a (2S)-2-(N,N-dibenzyl)aminophenylalanine ester derivative with acetonitrile in the presence of a lithium compound or a magnesium compound is disclosed, and a process for producing a (2S)-2-(N,N-dibenzyl)amino-5-amino-1,6-diphenyl-4-hexen-3-one derivative which comprises adding a benzylmagnesium halide or a benzyllithium to a reaction solution containing the (4S)-4-(N,N-dibenzyl)amino-5-phenyl-3-oxo-pentanenitrile derivative and reacting the derivative with the benzylmagnesium halide or the benzyllithium is also disclosed. According to these processes, optically pure (4S)-4-(N,N-dibenzyl)amino-5-phenyl-3-oxo-pentanenitrile derivative and (2S)-2-(N,N-dibenzyl)amino-5-amino-1,6-diphenyl-4-hexen-3-one derivative can be produced in a good yield on an industrial scale.

Process for producing keto nitrile derivative

Disclosed herein is a process for producing a .gamma.-hydroxyketone (2), which comprises asymmetrically hydrogenating a .gamma.-diketone (1) in the presence of a ruthenium-optically active phosphine complex as a catalyst ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 mean individually an alkyl or phenyl group which may have a substituent group. According to the invention, optically active .gamma.-hydroxyketones useful in synthesizing optically active moiety in, biodegradable polymers, perfumes, intermediates for synthesizing medicines and the like can be efficiently prepared.

Process for producing optically active .gamma.-hydroxyketones

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Hiratsuka, Japan

Seiji Watanabe