PURPOSE: To highly simply, profitably prepare the subject compound useful as a raw material for drugs, agricultural chemicals, functional materials, etc., in a high yield without employing an expensive asymmetrical source, etc., by reacting an epoxide with a nitrile compound as raw materials in the presence of an acid.
CONSTITUTION: An epoxide compound of formula I (R1 and R2 are H, 1-16C alkyl, phenyl or benzyl) is made to react with a nitrile compound in the presence of an acid catalyst such as hydrogen fluoride at -20°C to 70°C, especially 0°C to 30°C, to prepare a compound of formula II (R3 is 1-10C alkyl, phenyl or benzyl). The epoxide compound of formula I includes 1,2-epoxypropane and styrene oxide. The epoxide compound having optical activity is prepared by oxidizing an olefin with microorganisms. The nitrile compound includes acetonitrile and preferably employed in a ratio of 5-10 moles per of the epoxide compound.
TAKAHASHI OSAMU
FURUHASHI KEIZO
