CHIRAL CYANOACETIC ACIDS AS BUILDING-BLOC KS FOR ENANTIOMERIC DRUGS

In 1964 in our group some N-methylbarbiturates were resolved into thei r enantiomers. For the preparation of greater amounts of these enantio mers we established a synthesis for N-methylated enantiomeric barbitur ates starting from enantiomeric disubstituted cyanoacetic acids. These enantiomeric acids were useful also for the syntheses of some other e nantiomeric drugs, e.g. hydantoins, cyclic ureas, hexahydropyrimidines , succinimides-piperidinediones, pyrazolidinediones, 1,5-benzodiazepin es, 3-aminopropanols and acylanilides.