Patent ID: 6864370

Claim:
A process for manufacturing oxycodone, which comprises the steps of: (a) converting codeine or a codeine salt into the intermediate N-carboalkoxy- or N-carboaryloxynorcodeine; (b) oxidizing the intermediate N-carboalkoxy- or N-carboaryloxynorcodeine to yield the intermediate N-carboalkoxy- or N-carboaryloxynorcodeinone; (c) enolizing the intermediate N-carboalkoxy- or N-carboaryloxynorcodeinone with a base and methylating the resultant enolate to yield the intermediate N-carboalkoxy- or N-carboaryloxynorthebaine; (d) reducing the intermediate N-carboalkoxy- or N-carboaryloxynorthebaine to yield thebaine; (e) oxidizing the thebaine to yield the intermediate 14-hydroxycodeinone; and (f) hydrogenating the intermediate 14-hydroxycodeinone to yield oxycodone.