A solution of 3-amino-1-carboxymethyl-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-1H-[1]benzazepin-2-one (10.0 g) and ethyl benzylpyruvate (26.4 g) in acetic acid (75 ml) and methanol (75 ml) was stirred at room temperature under nitrogen for 1 hour. Sodium cyanoborohydride (3.4 g) in methanol (25 ml) was added dropwise over 4 hours. The reaction mixture was stirred at room temperature for 24 hours. Concentrated hydrochloric acid (4 ml) was added dropwise, and the mixture stirred at room temperature for 1 hour. The reaction mixture was evaporated to dryness. The residue was partitioned between 150 ml of water and 50 ml of ether and adjusted to pH 9 with 40% sodium hydroxide. The layers were separated and the ether layer was discarded. The aqueous layer was adjusted to pH 4.3 with concentrated hydrochloric acid and extracted with 3×75 ml of ethyl acetate. The organic portions were dried (magnesium sulfate) and concentrated to dryness. Hydrogen chloride gas was bubbled into a solution of the crude product in 310 ml of methylene chloride for 5 minutes. The solution was evaporated and the residue was stirred in 225 ml of ether. The product was collected by filtration to give a 70:30 diastereomeric mixture as determined by high pressure liquid chromatography. The product was recrystallized from ethanol/ethyl acetate (1:3) to give 1-carboxymethyl-3-(1-ethoxycarbonyl-3-phenylpropylamino)-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-1H-[1]benzazepin-2-one hydrochloride melting at 246°-248° (dec.) and corresponding to the racemic isomer B.
