Patent ID: 8143443

Claim:
A process for the preparation of gabapentin of formula 1 which comprises: Step 1 (i) converting 1-allyl-cyclohexanecarboxaldehyde of formula 2 into 1 -allyl-cyclohexanecarbonitrile of formula 3 (ii) ozonizing the compound of formula 3 to obtain 1-cyano-cyclohexaneacetaldehyde of formula 4 (iii) and acetalizing the compound of formula 4 with a suitable acetalizing agent selected from the group consisting of C 1 -C 4 alkanols and C 2 -C 4 -alkane diols, to give the corresponding acetal of formula 5 wherein each R is C 1 -C 4 alkyl, or both R, taken together, form an ethylene bridge optionally substituted with one or two methyl groups or a propylene bridge optionally substituted with a methyl group; and Step 2 converting a compound of formula 5 into gabapentin of formula 1.