Abstract:
The present invention provides a new and efficient process for the preparation of the dexmethylphenidate hydrochloride with high optical purity, the process comprising: (a) reacting a solution of threo-N-Boc-ritalinic acid with (S)-1-phenylethylamine, separating precipitated solid salt of (R,R)-enriched N-Boc-ritalinic acid with (S)-1-phenylethylamine from the reaction mixture and recrystallizing, reslurring and/or trituring of said salt; (b) mixing the solid salt of (R,R)-N-Boc-ritalinic acid and (S)-1- phenylethylamine obtained in step (a) with aqueous acid and separating (R,R)-N-Boc-ritalinic acid from the mixture; and (c) reacting the (R,R)-N-Boc-ritalinic acid prepared in step (b) with hydrogen chloride and methanol to give dexmethylphenidate hydrochloride with optical purity of at least 99% ee. The present invention further provides salt of (R,R)-N-Boc-ritalinic acid with (S)-1-phenylethylamine as new intermediate in the preparation of dexmethylphenidate hydrochloride.
Abstract:
The present invention provides a process for the preparation of threo-methylphenidate hydrochloride. According to a preferred embodiment, the process comprises the following steps: (a) contacting 1-(phenylglyoxylyl)piperidine arenesulfonylhydrazone of the wherein Ar denotes an aryl group, where the aryl group may be substituted by a C 1-C6 alkyl, halo or nitro group; with an inorganic base in the presence of a water immiscible organic solvent and a phase transfer catalyst to obtain (R*,R*)-enriched 7-phenyl- 1-azabicyclo[4.2.0]octan-8-one of the formula: (b) reacting the (R*,R*)-enriched 7-phenyl- 1-azabicyclo[4.2.0]octan-8-one prepared in step (a) with a solution of hydrogen chloride in methanol to obtain threo-enriched methylphenidate hydrochloride; (c) crystallizing the threo-enriched methylphenidate hydrochloride prepared in step (b) to give the desired threo-methylphenidate hydrochloride. Preferably, the threo-methylphenidate hydrochloride produced by the process of the present invention contains no more than 1 % of the erythro-isomer.