Processes for preparing ezetimibe and intermediate compounds useful for the preparation thereof

Abstract

The invention relates, in general, to an improved process for converting compounds of Formula II (below) to compounds of Formula III (below), which are key intermediates for the synthesis of ezetimibe, or to ezetimibe itself, wherein in Formulas II and III, R represents hydrogen, alkyl, or a hydroxyl protecting group (e.g., benzyl group, a substituted benzyl group, or a silyl group). The invention further includes the use of the described process and the use of compounds of Formula III made by the described process for the preparation of ezetimibe.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.