A substrate treatment method includes: overlaying a film on a surface of a substrate which includes a first region including a metal atom in a surface layer thereof, using a directed self-assembling material which contains a compound having no less than 6 carbon atoms and including at least one cyano group. After the overlaying, the film on a region other than the first region is removed. After the removing, a pattern principally containing a metal oxide is formed by an Atomic Layer Deposition process or a Chemical Vapor Deposition process on the region other than the first region, of the surface of the substrate.

The invention relates to the use of a compound of formula (I)

##STR00001##

or a salt thereof for combating animal pests,
where the symbols and indices are defined in the specification.

The invention relates to the use of a compound of formula (I)

##STR00001##

or a salt thereof for combating animal pests,
where the symbols and indices are defined in the specification.

An aspect of the present disclosure is a method that includes a first reacting a molecule from at least one of a carboxylic acid, an ester of a carboxylic acid, and/or an anhydride with ammonia to form a nitrile, where the first reacting is catalyzed using an acid catalyst. In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the molecule may include at least one of acetic acid, lactic acid, and/or 3-hydroxyproprionic acid (3-HPA). In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the molecule may include at least one of methyl acetate, ethyl lactate, and/or ethyl 3-hydroxypropanoate (ethyl 3-HP). In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the anhydride may be acetic anhydride.

An aspect of the present disclosure is a method that includes a first reacting a molecule from at least one of a carboxylic acid, an ester of a carboxylic acid, and/or an anhydride with ammonia to form a nitrile, where the first reacting is catalyzed using an acid catalyst. In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the molecule may include at least one of acetic acid, lactic acid, and/or 3-hydroxyproprionic acid (3-HPA). In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the molecule may include at least one of methyl acetate, ethyl lactate, and/or ethyl 3-hydroxypropanoate (ethyl 3-HP). In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the anhydride may be acetic anhydride.

The invention relates to the use of a compound of formula (I) ##STR00001## or a salt thereof for combating animal pests, where the symbols and indices are defined in the specification.

The invention relates to the use of a compound of formula (I) ##STR00001## or a salt thereof for combating animal pests, where the symbols and indices are defined in the specification.

An aspect of the present disclosure is a method that includes a first reacting a molecule from at least one of a carboxylic acid, an ester of a carboxylic acid, and/or an anhydride with ammonia to form a nitrile, where the first reacting is catalyzed using an acid catalyst. In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the molecule may include at least one of acetic acid, lactic acid, and/or 3-hydroxyproprionic acid (3-HPA). In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the molecule may include at least one of methyl acetate, ethyl lactate, and/or ethyl 3-hydroxypropanoate (ethyl 3-HP). In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the anhydride may be acetic anhydride.

An aspect of the present disclosure is a method that includes a first reacting a molecule from at least one of a carboxylic acid, an ester of a carboxylic acid, and/or an anhydride with ammonia to form a nitrile, where the first reacting is catalyzed using an acid catalyst. In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the molecule may include at least one of acetic acid, lactic acid, and/or 3-hydroxyproprionic acid (3-HPA). In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the molecule may include at least one of methyl acetate, ethyl lactate, and/or ethyl 3-hydroxypropanoate (ethyl 3-HP). In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the anhydride may be acetic anhydride.

The present invention provides an improved process for the preparation of a compound of formula (I), which comprises the steps of: formula (I), (a) reacting isovaleraldehyde of formula (II) and alkyl cyanoacetate of formula (III) optionally in presence of salts of weak acid and weak base or weak base in a suitable solvent to get 2-cyano-5-methyl-hex-2-enoic acid alkyl ester of formula (IV); (b) reacting 2-cyano-5-methyl-hex-2-enoic acid alkyl ester of formula (IV) with a suitable cyanide source in water or in an organic solvent or mixture thereof to get 2-isobutylsuccinonitrile of formula (V); (c) obtaining optionally 2-isobutylsuccinonitrile of formula (V) by reacting isovaleraldehyde of formula (II) and alkyl cyanoacetate of formula (III) in presence of suitable cyanide source in water or in an organic solvent or mixture thereof in single step; (d) converting 2-isobutylsuccinonitrile of formula (V) to racemic 3-cyano-5-methyl-hexanoic acid or salt thereof of formula (VI) with a genetically modified nitrilase enzyme (Nit 9N_56_2) in water or optionally with an organic co-solvent at appropriate pH and temperature; (e) converting racemic 3-cyano-5-methyl-hexanoic acid or salt thereof of formula (VI) to racemic alkyl 3-cyano-5-methyl-hexanoate of formula (VII) by treatment with alcohol (R3OH) and acidic catalyst or alkyl halide (R3X) in presence of a base in a suitable solvent or a mixture of solvents thereof; (f) obtaining (S)-alkyl 3-cyano-5-methyl-hexanoate of formula (VIII) and (R)-3-cyano-5-methyl-hexanoic acid or salt thereof of formula (X) by enzymatic enantioselective hydrolysis in water or organic solvent or a mixture thereof from racemic alkyl 3-cyano-5-methyl-hexanoate of formula (VII); (g) obtaining optionally the compound of formula (VII) by racemizing unwanted (R)-3-cyano-5-methyl-hexanoic acid or salt thereof of formula (X) or substantially enriched (R)-3-cyano-5-methyl-hexanoic acid salt thereof of formula (X) in presence of a base in organic solvent or a mixture thereof; (h) converting (S)-alkyl 3-cyano-5-methyl-hexanoate of formula (VIII) to pregabalin of formula (I) by hydrolyzing ester group with suitable alkali or alkaline earth metal base followed by hydrogenation optionally in one pot in a solvent selected from water or other organic solvents or a mixture thereof in presence of a suitable hydrogenation catalyst. ##STR00001##