N-carbamate protected-3-amino-1,2-epoxy-4-(hydroxy substituted phenyl)butane may be produced in high optical purity and in high yield, by hydrogenating N-carbamate protected-3-amino-1-chloro-2-hydroxy-4-(benzyloxy substituted phenyl)butane in the presence of a metal catalyst to give N-carbamate protected-3-amino-1-chloro-2-hydroxy-4-(hydroxy substituted phenyl)butane and treating this compound with a base.
The present invention relates to a method of producing N-carbamate protected-3-amino-1,2-epoxy-4-(hydroxy substituted phenyl)butane at a high optical purity in a high yield, by hydrogenating N-carbamate protected-3-amino-1-chloro-2-hydroxy-4-(benzyloxy substituted phenyl)butane in the presence of a metal catalyst to give N-carbamate protected-3-amino-1-chloro-2-hydroxy-4-(hydroxy substituted phenyl)butane and treating this compound with a base.