Patent ID: 7582776

Claim:
A method for preparing a 3-hydroxy-3-(2-thienyl)propionamide compound of the formula: Ar—CH(OH)—CH 2 —CO—NR 1 R 2 wherein Ar represents 2-thiophenyl, which is optionally monosubstituted or polysubstituted by fluoro, nitro, hydroxyl, C 1-12 -alkyl, C 1-12 -haloalkyl, C 5-14 -aryl and C 1-8 -alkoxy; and R 1 and R 2 are each independently hydrogen, C 1-20 -alkyl, C 4-14 -aryl or C 5-15 -arylalkyl; said process comprising reducing the compound of the formula: Ar—CO—CH 2 —CO—NR 1 R 2 wherein Ar, R 1 and R 2 are as defined above; in the presence of a catalyst constituted from a ruthenium-containing compound of the formula: [RuX 2 (arene)] 2 wherein X is chlorine, bromine or iodine; and arene is a coordinated compound having 6 to 12 ring carbon atoms, which may be further substituted by up to 6 radicals, each of which is independently selected from the group consisting of C 1-8 -alkyl, benzyl and phenyl; and a compound of the formula: wherein R 7 and R 8 are each independently C 1-20 -alkyl, C 4-15 -aryl or C 5-16 -arylalkyl, or R 7 and R 8 together are a straight-chain or branched C 3-12 -alkylene radical; and R 9 is C 1 -C 20 -alkyl, C 1 -C 20 -fluoroalkyl or C 4 -C 15 -aryl.