Process for producing optically active β-amino alcohol

Abstract

A process for easily producing an optically active β-amino alcohol useful as a pharmaceutical intermediate from an inexpensive, readily available starting material is provided. A readily available α-substituted ketone is reacted with an optically active amine to yield a diastereomer mixture of an optically active α-substituted aminoketone. One of the diastereomers is isolated optionally after the diastereomers are converted to salts with an acid. The optically active α-substituted aminoketone or a salt thereof thus isolated was stereoselectively reduced to yield an optically active β-substituted amino alcohol. The optically active β-substituted amino alcohol is subjected to hydrogenolysis to produce an optically active β-amino alcohol or a salt thereof.