The invention provides a novel method for preparing
epinephrine, which comprises the following steps of: condensing
catechol serving as an initial
raw material with 2-(benzyl-methyl-amino)
acetic acid to obtain 2-(benzyl methyl amino)-3 ', 4'-dihydroxyacetophenone
hydrochloride, performing hydrogenation reduction to obtain racemic
epinephrine, performing salification resolution with L-
tartaric acid, and finally regulating the pH value to 8-9 by using
ammonia water to obtain the
epinephrine. According to the method, 2-(benzyl-methyl-amino)
acetic acid is selected as a starting material instead of
chloroacetic acid in a traditional process, and two steps of chloroacetylation and
methylamine in the traditional process are combined into one step, so that the environmental problem caused by the use of
chloroacetic acid and monomethylamine is avoided, the reaction steps are reduced, and the yield is increased; in addition, benzyl serving as a
protecting group can be synchronously removed along with reduction of carbonyl in the catalytic reduction process, so that the risk caused by multi-step hydrogenation is avoided; and finally, the racemized isomer is obtained by recycling the resolution
mother liquor and then salified with L-
tartaric acid for resolution and
recovery of the product, so that the yield is increased, the cost is reduced, and the method has excellent industrial production and application prospects.