Process for preparing oxiranemethanamine derivatives

A process for forming an epoxy compound of the formula (A):

• ##STR10## wherein X is:
• hydrogen, a straight or branched chain alkyl group containing from 1 to 8 carbon atoms, cycloalkyl containing from 3 to 8 carbon atoms, cycloalkylalkyl, arylalkyl, aryl wherein aryl is phenyl, naphthyl or a 5-6 membered heterocyclic ring containing one or two heteroatoms selected from N, O and S and said aryl group is optionally substituted with one or more alkyl groups, halogens, amino or hydroxy groups, arylheteroatomalkyl group where the heteroatom is nitrogen, oxygen or sulfur;
• Y and Z are both hydrogen and can independently have a stereochemical orientation which results in either the (R) or (S) configuration at the carbon atoms to which they are bound;
• and
• R.sub.3 is a lower alkoxy group containing 1 to 8 carbon atoms which can form a straight or branched chain, part of a ring or a combination thereof;
• an alkenylmethoxy group;
• an arylalkoxy group wherein the aryl portion is optionally substituted with halogen atoms, lower alkoxy or lower alkyl groups of from one to five carbon atoms or combinations thereof and the alkyl portion of the arylalkoxy group contains from 1 to 5 carbon atoms;
• an aryloxyalkyl group wherein the aryl portion is optionally substituted with halogen atoms, lower alkoxy or lower alkyl groups of from one to five carbon atoms or combinations thereof and the alkyl portion contains from 1 to 5 carbon atoms;
• aryl optionally substituted with heteroatoms where the heteroatom is nitrogen, oxygen or sulfur, alkyl groups, haloalkyl groups and halogen, amino, or hyrdoxy groups;
• acylated alpha-aminoalkyl wherein the alkyl group is defined by those found in the naturally occurring aminoacids and the acyl group is derived from a carboxylic acid or carbonic acid ester;
• the process comprising:
• activating the terminal hydroxy group of an aminodiol of the formula:
• ##STR11## wherein X, Y and Z are as defined above;
• N-acylating the activated aminodiol to form the activated precursors of Formula A;
• and
• reacting said activated precursors to Formula A with a base to form a compound of Formula A.