Substituted acetylpyridine derivatives and process for the preparation of intermediates for optically active &bgr;3 agonist by the use of the same

Abstract

It is an objective to produce intermediates of optically active beta-3 adrenaline receptor agonists from readily available raw materials in a safe, efficient and industrially advantageous manner. A substituted acetylpyridine derivative represented by the general formula (9) is reduced by enantioselective reduction to produce an optically active hydroxyethylpyridine derivative represented by the general formula (10) (wherein * represents an asymmetric carbon atom), and it is further derivatized to an intermediate of an optically active beta-3 adrenaline receptor agonist, such as an optically active dihydroxyethylpyridine derivative represented by the general formula (14) or an optically active oxirane derivative represented by the general formula (16)