Patent ID: 7615609

Claim:
A process for producing a compound of formula I wherein R 1 is —C 2-6 alkylene-NR 3 R 4 , —C 2-6 alkylene-guanidine or —C 2-6 alkylene-COOH wherein each of R 3 and R 4 independently is H, C 1-4 alkyl, ω-hydroxy-C 2-4 alkylene oracyl or R 3 and R 4 form together with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached a heterocyclic group which may comprise a further heteroatom, and R 2 is Z 1 -CH 2 —R 5 , —CH 2 —CO—O—CH 2 —R 5 , wherein Z 1 is O or S and R 5 is optionally substituted phenyl, or a salt thereof, comprising cyclizing a linear somatostatin analogue of formula II with a cyclizing agent selected from O-(benzotriazol-1-yl)-N,N,N′,N′-tetramethyluronium-hexaflurophosphate and 1-hydroxybenzotriazole, wherein R 1 and R 2 are as defined above, each of R 11 and R 12 , independently, is an amino protecting group whereby when R 1 comprises a terminal NH 2 , this terminal NH 2 is also protected by an amino protecting group, and where required removing the protecting group(s), and recovering a compound of formula I thus obtained in free form or in salt form.