PREPARATION OF 4-AMINOMETHYLCYCLOHEXANE-1-CARBOXYLIC ACID

PURPOSE:To prepare the titled compound useful as an antiplasminic agent, with direct single-step process, under mild conditions, in high yield, by treating terephthalo-nitrile with hydrogen in a solvent comprising water or a mixture of water and a hydrophilic organic solvent, in the presence of an alkali, etc. CONSTITUTION:The objective compound can be prepared by treating terephthalonitrile (TPN) with hydrogen in a solvent comprising water or a mixture of water and a hydrophilic organic solvent (e.g. ethanol, propanol, etc.) in the presence of an alkali or alkaline earth metal hydroxide (e.g. caustic soda, caustic potash, etc.) and a metal catalyst for hydrogenation (pref. the combination of Pd and Ru). Since water can be singly used as the reaction solvent, and since it is effective for the smooth reaction, the process is advantageous from industrial viewpoint. The presence of the alkali increases the content of the trans-isomer which is the active component of the objective compound, and accordingly, results in various advantages such as reduction of the purification load of an ion exchange resin.