Patent ID: 8735627

Claim:
A process for the preparation of Fingolimod of formula (I), or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, comprising the steps of: a) reacting octylbenzene with a 3-nitropropanoic acid derivative of formula A: wherein X is a halogen or an anhydride, so as to obtain 3-nitro-1-(4-octylphenyl)propan-1-one of formula (12): b) reducing 3-nitro-1-(4-octylphenyl)propan-1-one (12) with a reducing agent to obtain 3-nitro-1-(4-octylphenyl)propan-1-ol; c) protecting the hydroxyl group of 3-nitro-1-(4-octylphenyl)propan-1-ol so as to obtain compound (13A): wherein P is a hydroxyl protecting group; d) bis-hydroxymethylation of compound (13A) with formaldehyde or an equivalent thereof in the presence of catalyst, and removal of the hydroxyl protecting group to obtain compound (14): e) reducing compound (14) to Fingolimod (1); and f) optionally, converting Fingolimod (1) to a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.