A process for preparing 2-amino-2-(2-(4-octylphenyl)ethyl)-1,3-propanediol (Formula 6), or the hydrochloride salt thereof, said process comprising acts of: a. reacting a compound of Formula 3 with diethylacetamido malonate (Formula 2) to obtain 2-(Acetylamino)-2-(2-(4-octylphenyl)ethyl)propanedioic acid diethyl ester (Formula 4) in a solvent selected from toluene, xylene, heptanes, hexanes, diethyl ether, methyl tertiary butyl ether and/or tetrahydrofuran, at 10 °C to 160 °C in the presence of an alkaline metal carbonate and/or an alkaline earth metal carbonate and of a tetra alkyl ammonium halide as a phase transfer catalyst X = Cl, Br, I, OMs, OTs, OTf wherein the volume of the solvent is 1-30 volumes with respect to diethylacetamido malonate (Formula 2); and b. converting the 2-(Acetylamino)-2-(2-(4-octylphenyl)ethyl)propanedioic acid diethyl ester obtained in step (a) to obtain 2-amino-2-(2-(4-octylphenyl)ethyl)-1,3-propanediol (Formula 6); or c. converting the 2-(Acetylamino)-2-(2-(4-octylphenyl)ethyl)propanedioic acid diethyl ester obtained in step (a) to N-(1,1-bis hydroxymethyl-3-(4-octyl phenyl)-propyl)-acetamide (Formula 5), followed by hydrolysis of the N-(1,1-bis hydroxymethyl-3-(4-octyl phenyl)-propyl)-acetamide to obtain 2-amino-2-(2-(4-octylphenyl)ethyl)-1,3-propanediol (Formula 6); or d. converting the 2-(Acetylamino)-2-(2-(4-octylphenyl)ethyl)propanedioic acid diethyl ester obtained in step (a) to N-(1,1-bis hydroxymethyl-3-(4-octyl phenyl)-propyl)-acetamide (Formula 5), followed by converting the N-(1,1-bis hydroxymethyl-3-(4-octyl phenyl)-propyl)-acetamide (Formula 5) to 2-Acetamido-2-(4-octylphenethyl) propane-1,3-diyl diacetate (Formula 5a), followed by hydrolysis of the Acetamido-2-(4-octylphenethyl) propane-1,3-diyl diacetate (Formula 5a) to obtain 2-amino-2-(2-(4-octylphenyl)ethyl)-1,3-propanediol (Formula 6). a. reacting a compound of Formula 3 with diethylacetamido malonate (Formula 2) to obtain 2-(Acetylamino)-2-(2-(4-octylphenyl)ethyl)propanedioic acid diethyl ester (Formula 4) in a solvent selected from toluene, xylene, heptanes, hexanes, diethyl ether, methyl tertiary butyl ether and/or tetrahydrofuran, at 10 °C to 160 °C in the presence of an alkaline metal carbonate and/or an alkaline earth metal carbonate and of a tetra alkyl ammonium halide as a phase transfer catalyst X = Cl, Br, I, OMs, OTs, OTf wherein the volume of the solvent is 1-30 volumes with respect to diethylacetamido malonate (Formula 2); and b. converting the 2-(Acetylamino)-2-(2-(4-octylphenyl)ethyl)propanedioic acid diethyl ester obtained in step (a) to obtain 2-amino-2-(2-(4-octylphenyl)ethyl)-1,3-propanediol (Formula 6); or c. converting the 2-(Acetylamino)-2-(2-(4-octylphenyl)ethyl)propanedioic acid diethyl ester obtained in step (a) to N-(1,1-bis hydroxymethyl-3-(4-octyl phenyl)-propyl)-acetamide (Formula 5), followed by hydrolysis of the N-(1,1-bis hydroxymethyl-3-(4-octyl phenyl)-propyl)-acetamide to obtain 2-amino-2-(2-(4-octylphenyl)ethyl)-1,3-propanediol (Formula 6); or d. converting the 2-(Acetylamino)-2-(2-(4-octylphenyl)ethyl)propanedioic acid diethyl ester obtained in step (a) to N-(1,1-bis hydroxymethyl-3-(4-octyl phenyl)-propyl)-acetamide (Formula 5), followed by converting the N-(1,1-bis hydroxymethyl-3-(4-octyl phenyl)-propyl)-acetamide (Formula 5) to 2-Acetamido-2-(4-octylphenethyl) propane-1,3-diyl diacetate (Formula 5a), followed by hydrolysis of the Acetamido-2-(4-octylphenethyl) propane-1,3-diyl diacetate (Formula 5a) to obtain 2-amino-2-(2-(4-octylphenyl)ethyl)-1,3-propanediol (Formula 6). <EOS>