Process for producing 3-amino-2-hydroxypropionic acid derivatives

Abstract

The present invention provides a process for preparing 3-amino-2-hydroxypropionic acid derivatives (1) which does not use dangerous reagents, is economically advantageous, and is suitable for an industrial production, which process comprises: treating N-protected-3-amino-2-hydroxypropionic acid derivatives (2) having a steric configuration at 2-position carbon reverse to that of derivatives (1) with a leaving group-introducing agent to convert into N-protected-3-aminopropionic acid derivatives (3), then treating the derivatives with a basic substance to convert into substituted-3-amino-2-hydroxypropionic acid derivatives (4) having an inverted steric configuration at 2-position carbon, and then converting the derivatives into 3-amino-2-hydroxypropionic acid derivatives (1).

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD [0001] The present invention relates to a process for preparing 3-amino-2-hydroxypropionic acid derivatives represented by the following general formula (1): wherein R1, R2 and R3, independently from each other, represent a hydrogen atom, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group having 1 to 30 carbon atoms, a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group having 6 to 30 carbon atoms, or a substituted or unsubstituted aralkyl group having 7 to 30 carbon atoms. [0002] 3-Amino-2-hydroxypropionic acid derivatives of the general formula (1) [hereinafter, also referred to as 3-amino-2-hydroxypropionic acid derivatives (1)] are useful compounds as an intermediate of a medicine. Among others, 3-amino-2-hydroxy-4-phenylbutyric acid [a compound of the general formula (1) wherein R1 is a benzyl group, R2 and R3 are hydrogen atoms] is particularly important: (2S,3R)-isomer (i.e. threo-isomer) of the compound can be led, for example, to an immunostimulating anticancer agent, Bestati...

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Benefits of technology

[0011] In addition, they found that impurities are apt to be produced secondarily and the yield and quality of 3-amino-2-hydroxypropionic acid derivatives (1) tend to reduce, if intermediate substituted-3-amino-2-hydroxypropionic acid derivatives having an inverted steric configuration at 2-position carbon are supplied to a next step without isolation and / or purification to a pure form. However, they also found that 3-amino-2-hydroxypropionic acid derivatives (1) can be stably produced in a high yield and a high quality, by contacting the intermediate substituted-3-amino-2-hydroxypropionic acid derivatives having an inverted steric configuration at 2-position carbon, without isolation and / or purification to a pure form, with water under acidic to neutral conditions and subjecting the mixture to heat treatment.

[0151] As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to prepare conveniently and efficiently, and with industrial advantages, 3-amino-2-hydroxypropionic acid derivatives (1) having a particular steric configuration from N-protected-3-amino-2-hydroxypropionic acid derivatives (2) having a reverse steric configuration at 2-position carbon.EXAMPLES

Problems solved by technology

However, the above process must use a cyanogen compound having a very high toxicity, and therefore, is problematic as an industrial production process.

However, all these processes are also problematic as an industrial production process because they need many steps and complicated procedures, for example.

However, these processes are also unsuitable for an industrial production because they use an expensive base (e.g. lithium hexamethyldisilazane and lithium amide), an explosive azide compound, a toxic lead compound, or the like.

However, this process must use phosgene having a very high toxicity as a carbonylation agent, and an expensive base such as an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal alkoxide, an alkali metal amide or an alkyl lithium compound or an alkylmagnesium halide as a strong base.

Accordingly, the process is unsuitable for an industrial production.

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