Patent ID: 7244852

Claim:
A process for preparing a compound of formula (V): wherein R 1 is hydrogen or a nitrogen-protecting group, or a salt thereof, comprising the steps of: 4a) providing a compound of formula (III): wherein * denotes a chiral center that can be designated as a R— or S-stereocenter, R p is a nitrogen-protecting group, and R 2 is an unsubstituted alkyl, substituted alkyl, unsubstituted aryl, or substituted aryl group, and treating the compound of formula (III) with an alkali metal iodide salt to obtain a compound of the formula (IV): wherein * and R p are as defined for a compound of formula (III); and 4b) hydrogenating a compound of formula (IV) to obtain a desired enantiomer of a compound of formula (V): wherein * and R 1 are as previously defined.