Otsuka Pharmaceutical Company, Limited

Shinji Nishitani

Norio Fukuda

The invention provides an improved process for preparing rebamipide that is useful as a medicament, which makes it possible to prepare rebamipide with high purity and high yield. The invention is an improved process for preparing rebamipide of the formula (1), comprising subjecting a carbostyril amino acid compound of the formula (5) or a salt thereof containing a compound of the formula (11) as an impurity to a reduction treatment in the presence of hydrogen and a catalyst in a basic aqueous solution, thereby selectively reducing the impurity compound (11) to transform into the carbostyril amino acid compound (5); and then acylating the compound (5) in a basic aqueous solution to give rebamipide (1). 

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Rockville, MD, United States of America

Shinji Nishitani