Process for converting lupanine into sparteine

1. A process for converting Lupanine into sparteine, said process comprising the step of treating said Lupanine with a reduction agent, wherein said reduction agent comprises NaBH 4 in combination with Iodine, wherein said reduction agent has a ratio of 1 molar equivalent iodine to 1-6 molar equivalent(s) NaBH 4 , and wherein said Lupanine is treated with said reduction agent in an organic solvent or a mixture of organic solvents.

2. Process according to claim 1 , wherein said Lupanine is treated with said reduction agent in a ratio of 1 molar equivalent iodine to 1.5-4.5 molar equivalents NaBH 4 .

3. Process according to claim 1 , wherein said Lupanine is treated with said reduction agent having a ratio of 1 molar equivalent iodine to 1.5 to 2.5 molar equivalents NaBH 4 .

4. Process as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the Lupanine is enantiopure.

5. Process as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the Lupanine is racemic.

6. Process as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the Lupanine is obtained by a process comprising the steps of:

a. heating untreated Lupinus albus seeds in a water bath in a temperature range from 80 to 120° C. for a time of at least 15 h to form a first solution;

b. adding an aqueous alkaline solution to the first solution to form a second solution and to adjust a pH in the second solution of more than 12;

c. filtering off the solids to form a third solution and extracting Lupanine from the third solution with an organic solvent; and optionally

d. purifying the obtained Lupanine.

7. Process according to claim 6 , wherein the extract obtained in step a. is filtered before performing step b.

8. Process according to claim 6 , wherein the extraction in step c. is performed with an organic solvent using a proportion 1:1 of organic phase/aqueous phase, and optionally with diethyl ether as organic solvent.

9. Process according to claim 6 , wherein in step d. the Lupanine is eluted with an organic solvent, optionally with a content of up to 10% (v/v) of an amine.

10. Process as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the Lupanine is obtainable by a process comprising the steps of:

a. dissolving an enantiopure chiral acid or a salt thereof in a solvent to form a first solution,

b. dissolving rac-Lupanine in an organic solvent to form a second solution,

c. mixing the first and second solutions to form a third solution, optionally followed by stirring until a solid precipitate of Lupanine-enantiopure chiral acid salt is formed,

d. separating the precipitated Lupanine-enantiopure chiral acid salt from the third solution,

e. basifying the obtained Lupanine-enantiopure chiral acid salt in an aqueous solution,

f. extracting the enantiopure Lupanine by means of an organic solvent, selected from Et 2 O, MTBE, and EtOAc, and

g. removing the solvent.

11. Process according to claim 10 , wherein the solvent of step b) is EtOH.

12. Process according to claim 10 , wherein in step c, mixing the first and second solutions is achieved by adding the dissolved Lupanine to a solution of the chiral acid.

13. Process according to claim 12 , wherein adding the dissolved Lupanine to a solution of chiral acid of step c) is performed with ratio of 1.0 to 1.5 mol equivalents of Lupanine to 0.5 to 1.0 mol equivalents of said chiral organic acid per minute.

14. Process according to claim 10 , further comprising a recrystallisation step after step d. before step e., wherein the obtained Lupanine chiral acid salt is recrystallised in an organic solvent.

15. Process according to claim 10 , wherein the chiral acid is selected from MTPA, camphersulfonic acid and tartaric acid.