The present invention provides an industrially advantageous process for producing a steroid C
17,20
lyase inhibitor represented by the general formula (I):
and a Reformatsky reagent in a stable form suitable for the process.
In the present invention, a compound represented by the general formula (I) is produced by reducing a specific β-hydroxy ester compound derivative or a salt thereof obtained from a specific carbonyl compound in a Reformatsky reaction in the presence of a metal hydride complex and a metal halide, and then subjecting it to a ring-closing reaction. In the above Reformatsky reaction, it is useful to use a stable solution of a compound represented by the general formula BrZnCH
2
COOC
2
H
5
or a crystal of the compound which is represented by the formula (BrZnCH
2
COOC
2
H
5
.THF)
2
.
本发明提供了一种工业上有利的方法,用于制备一种由一般式(I)表示的类
固醇C17,20裂解酶
抑制剂和适用于该过程的稳定的Reformatsky试剂。在本发明中,通过在
金属
氢化物复合物和
金属卤化物的存在下还原从特定羰基化合物得到的特定β-羟基
酯化合物衍
生物或其盐,并随后将其进行环闭合反应,从而产生一种由一般式(I)表示的化合物。在上述Reformatsky反应中,使用由一般式BrZnCH2COOC2H5表示的化合物的稳定溶液或由公式(BrZnCH2COOC2H5.THF)2表示的化合物的晶体是有用的。