Abstract: Alkyl (or aralkyl) .alpha.-isocyanoacetate is condensed with a trihalogenoacetic aldehyde or its hydrate in the presence of an amine to give trans-4-alkoxycarbonyl(or aralkyloxycarbonyl)-5-trihalogenomethyl-2-oxazoline. The oxazoline compound is hydrolyzed under acidic conditions to give threo-.gamma.,.gamma.,.gamma.-trihalogenothreonine, which is then subjected to catalytic or electrolytic reduction. The above-mentioned reactions can be carried out stereoselectively and threo-threonine is thereby obtained without by-products such as allo-threonine.

Abstract: A nicotinoyl carnitine compound of the formula: ##STR1## wherein R is lower alkoxy, benzyloxy or amino and X is an anionic residue of a pharmaceutically acceptable acid, is prepared by reacting a carnitine derivative of the formula: ##STR2## wherein R is the same as defined above, with nicotinic acid or a functional derivative thereof. The derivative [I] and the pharmaceutically acceptable acid addition salts of said compound are useful as hypolipidemic agents.