PENTANOIC ACID DERIVATIVE, ITS PRODUCTION AND MEDICINE CONTAINING THE SAME

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain the subject new compound capable of improving the GABAA receptor response of reactive astrocyte and thereby useful for preventing and treating neurodegenerative diseases caused by the functional abnormality of the astrocyte. SOLUTION: A compound of formula I [R is a 1-10C alkyl whose one carbon atom may be substituted by one to three fluorine atoms; R is hydroxy, NR R (R , R are each H, a 1-4C alkyl, etc.), etc., wherein R is not F(CH2 )4 , F(CH2 )5 , F(CH2 )6 , F3 C-CH2 ], e.g. 5-fluoro-2-propylpentanoic acid. The compound of formula I is obtained by several methods including a method comprising catalytically hydrogenating a compound of formula II (R is a 1-10C alkyl substituted by one or two fluorine atoms; R is a 1-4C alkoxy).