| abstract |
For the preparation of 5,10-methenyl-(6R)-, 5-formyl-(6S)- or 5-methyl-(6S)-tetrahydrofolic acid or salts thereof, 5,10-methenyl-(6R,S)-tetrahydrofolic acid, the inner salt thereof or one of the salts thereof with strong acids is subjected to diastereomer separation by fractional crystallization and, if desired, the resulting 5,10-methenyl-(6R)-tetrahydrofolic acid is converted by treatment with a hydrolyzing agent into 5-formyl-(6S)-tetrahydrofolic acid or by treatment with a reducing agent into 5-methyl-(6S)-tetrahydrofolic acid, and the resulting free acid may be converted into one of its salts by treatment with a base. |