Patent ID: 6846927

Claim:
A process for the preparation of a compound of formula (A): wherein X is hydrogen or hydroxy; and R a and R b are hydrogen or acetyl, which process comprises: (i) the preparation of a compound of formula (I): wherein R 3 is an amino group or a protected amino group, which preparation comprises the reaction of a compound of formula (II): wherein R 3 is as defined above for formula (I) with a compound of formula (V): wherein L is a leaving group, to give a compound of formula (VI): and thereafter converting the intermediate compound of formula (VI) to a compound of formula (I) via decarboxylation with sodium methoxide in methanol; and (ii) conversion of the resulting compound of formula (I) to a compound of formula (A) by: a) removal, if necessary, of the amino protecting group; b) reducing the ester groups CO 2 Me to CH 2 OH groups, and, if necessary, acetylating to form the corresponding CH 2 OAc groups; and c) dechlorinating via a hydrogenolysis reaction to yield a compound of Formula (A) in which X is hydrogen; or dechlorinating via a hydrolysis reaction to yield a compound of Formula (A) in which X is hydroxy.