Patent ID: 6939986

Claim:
A process for preparing a 2-aminoalcohol of formula wherein R 1 , R 1′ , R 2 and R 2′ , independently from each other, are H, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkyl-lower alkyl, cycloalkyl-lower alkenyl, cycloalkyl-lower alkynyl, heterocyclyl, heterocyclyl-lower alkyl, heterocyclyl-lower alkenyl, heterocyclyl-lower alkynyl, aryl, aryl-lower alkyl, aryl-lower alkenyl, or aryl-lower alkynyl, or R 1 and R 2 , R 1 and R 2′ , R 1′ and R 2 or R 1′ and R 2′ taken together with the two carbon atoms to which they are bound, are a carbocyclic or heterocyclic ring system, or R 1 and R 1′ or R 2 and R 2′ taken together with the carbon atom to which they are bound, are a carbocyclic or heterocyclic ring system, wherein at least one of R 1 , R 1′ , R 2 and R 2′ is not H, and R 5 and R 6 , independently of each other, are H or a substituent of an amino group, wherein R 5 and R 6 are not both H, comprising treating a 1,2-epoxide of formula (II) wherein R 1 , R 1′ , R 2 and R 2′ are as above with an amine of formula R 5 NHR 6 wherein R 5 and R 6 are as above in the presence of a magnesium halide catalyst.