Abstract: A process for producing chlorosulfate and sulfamate esters of 2,3:4,5-bis-O-(1-methylethylidene)-.beta.-D-fructopyranose and (1-methylcyclohexyl)methanol is disclosed. The process involves a two step procedure involving in the first step reacting of an alcohol with sulfuryl chloride in the presence of a tertiary or heterocyclic amine base in a solvent selected from the group consisting of toluene, t-butyl methyl ether or tetrahydrofuran to produce a chlorosulfate intermediate, which is preferably stabilized by an aqueous wash and/or treatment with a base, and in the second step reacting of the resulting intermediate with an amine in a solvent selected from the group consisting of t-butyl methyl ether, tetrahydrofuran and lower alkanol.

Abstract: A diastereoselective process for known antidepressive compounds (I) via reduction of the corresponding alcohol (VII): ##STR1## whereby the product mixture of diastereomers is surprisingly and unexpectedly rich in the content of the trans configuration (II) over the cis configuration (III) as defined in the following formulae: ##STR2## The preferred reaction conditions include use of a borane complex as the reducing agent and an acidic solvent such as trifuloroacetic acid.

Abstract: A diastereoselective process for known antidepressive compounds (I) via reduction of the corresponding alcohol (VII): ##STR1## whereby the product mixture of diastereomers is surprisingly and unexpectedly rich in the content of the trans configuration (II) over the cis configuration (III) as defined in the following formulae: ##STR2## The preferred reaction conditions include use of a borane complex as the reducing agent and an acidic solvent such as trifluoroacetic acid.