Phenyl inden-1-one compounds

Abstract

The invention relates to a process for the enantioselective preparation of tolterodine and analogues and salts thereof comprises the steps of: a) enantioselectively reducing the carbonyl function in a compound of formula (II): 1 wherein R1; R2 and R3 independently of each other are hydrogen, methyl, methoxy, hydroxy, hydroxymethyl, carbamoyl, sulphamoyl or halogen, to form an enantiomerically enriched compound of formula (IIIa) or (IIIb): 2 wherein R1, R2 and R3 are as defined above; b) subjecting the compound of formula (IIIa) or (IIIb) to a sigmatropic rearrangement to form a corresponding enantiomerically enriched compound of formula (IVa) or (IVb): 3 wherein R1, R2 and R3 are as defined above; c) subjecting the compound of formula (IVa) or (IVb) to a Baeyer-Villiger oxidation to form a corresponding enantiomerically enriched compound of the general formula (Va) or (Vb). 4 wherein R1, R2 and R3 are as defined above; d) converting the compound of formula (Va) or (Vb) to form the corresponding enantiometrically enriched compound of tolterodine or analogue, and e) optionally converting a compound obtained in base form to a salt thereof, or converting a salt form to the free base. The invention also relates to novel starting materials and intermediates used in the process.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.