The present invention provides a method for producing a diol having a specific structure in high yields while keeping high selectivity. Provided is a method for producing a diol having a specific structure by oxidizing an olefin having a specific structure in the presence of a ruthenium compound.

A process for purifying ethylene cyanohydrin involves incubating an industrial grade ethylene cyanohydrin product with at least one titanium(IV)alkoxide. Ethylene cyanohydrin products with purities of >99% contain less than 0.05% of ethylene glycol (EG), and/or contain a water content of less than 1000 ppm.

A process for purifying ethylene cyanohydrin involves incubating an industrial grade ethylene cyanohydrin product with at least one titanium(IV)alkoxide. Ethylene cyanohydrin products with purities of >99% contain less than 0.05% of ethylene glycol (EG), and/or contain a water content of less than 1000 ppm.

The present invention discloses a process for preparing optically pure (R)-4-n-propyl-dihydrofuran-2(3H)-one, belonging to the field of chemical synthesis. According to the process, optically pure (S)-3-n-pentanoyl-4-substituted oxazol-2-one is used as a starting material, and after alkylation, reduction, cyano hydrolysis, lactonization, the product optically pure (R)-4-n-propyl-dihydrofuran-2(3H)-one is given. The preparation process has the advantages of easy availability of raw materials, low price, high yield, high optical purity of product, simple reaction conditions and simple operations.

The present invention discloses a process for preparing optically pure (R)-4-n-propyl-dihydrofuran-2(3H)-one, belonging to the field of chemical synthesis. According to the process, optically pure (S)-3-n-pentanoyl-4-substituted oxazol-2-one is used as a starting material, and after alkylation, reduction, cyano hydrolysis, lactonization, the product optically pure (R)-4-n-propyl-dihydrofuran-2(3H)-one is given. The preparation process has the advantages of easy availability of raw materials, low price, high yield, high optical purity of product, simple reaction conditions and simple operations.

The present invention provides an agent for the prophylactic or treatment of diabetes, diabetic complications, insulin resistance syndrome, metabolic syndrome, hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia, atherosclerosis, cardiac failure, cardiomyopathy, myocardial ischemia, brain ischemia, cerebral apoplexy, pulmonary hypertension, hyperlactacidemia, mitochondrial disease, mitochondrial encephalomyopathy or cancer, namely, a PDHK inhibitor and the like. A compound represented by the following formula [I] or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, or a solvate thereof:

##STR00001##

wherein each symbol is as defined in the specification.

The present invention provides an agent for the prophylactic or treatment of diabetes, diabetic complications, insulin resistance syndrome, metabolic syndrome, hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia, atherosclerosis, cardiac failure, cardiomyopathy, myocardial ischemia, brain ischemia, cerebral apoplexy, pulmonary hypertension, hyperlactacidemia, mitochondrial disease, mitochondrial encephalomyopathy or cancer, namely, a PDHK inhibitor and the like. A compound represented by the following formula [I] or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, or a solvate thereof:

##STR00001##

wherein each symbol is as defined in the specification.

The present invention provides a method for producing a diol having a specific structure in high yields while keeping high selectivity. Provided is a method for producing a diol having a specific structure by oxidizing an olefin having a specific structure in the presence of a ruthenium compound.

The present invention provides a method for producing a diol having a specific structure in high yields while keeping high selectivity. Provided is a method for producing a diol having a specific structure by oxidizing an olefin having a specific structure in the presence of a ruthenium compound.

The present invention relates to a process for preparing ethylenediamine (EDA), where the process comprises the steps a) to c). In step a), formaldehyde is reacted with hydrocyanic acid (HCN) to form formaldehyde cyanohydrin (FACH), where the hydrocyanic acid is completely free or largely free of sulfur dioxide (SO.sub.2). The FACH prepared in this way is reacted with ammonia (NH.sub.3) to form aminoacetonitrile (AAN) in step b), whereupon a hydrogenation of AAN in the presence of a catalyst to form EDA is carried out in step c).