Patent ID: 8785674

Claim:
A process for preparing a compound of formula VI wherein R 1 and R 6 is hydrogen, substituted or unsubstituted alkyl substituted or unsubstituted aryl, or substituted or unsubstituted aralkyl; R 5 is B(OR 2 )(OR 3 ); wherein R 2 and R 3 independently from each other represent substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, substituted or unsubstituted aryl, or substituted or unsubstituted aralkyl; or R 2 and R 3 cooperatively form a part of a 5- to 10-membered fused or unfused ring, optionally a chiral 5- to 10-membered fused or unfused ring; X is selected from Cl, Br, I; and * indicates a chiral center; by hydrogenation of a compound of formula V wherein R 1 , R 5 , R 6 and X are as defined above; wherein hydrogenation is conducted in the presence of a catalyst selected from complexes comprising at least one transition metal, and said catalyst is used at a molar substrate to catalyst ratio in the range of 5:1 to 100:1, and wherein dehalogenation occurs in less than 10 molar % relative to the molar amount of the compound of formula VI.