1A process for the preparation of a compound according to the following general formula (I): wherein R1 - C1-20 alkyl, C2-20 alkenyl, C2-20 alkynyl, C2-20 organohalide, an aryl, an amine or amide group; and n = 1 to 5; said process comprising; (a) performing an asymmetric cataiytic reduction on a hyd roxyphenone according to the following general formula (II): wherein R1 - C1-20 alkyl, C2-20 alkenyl, C2-20 aikynyl, C2-20 organohalide, an aryl an amine- or amide-containing group; n = 1 to 5; and wherein said asymmetric catalytic reduction is performed using transfer hydrogenation, and wherein said asymmetric catalytic reduction is performed using a chirai metal catalyst.

2A process for the preparation of a compound according to claim 1 , wherein the amount of optically active compound (ill) formed is greater than the amount of optically active compound (IV)

3A process for the preparation of a compound according to any of claims 1 or 2, wherein the asymmetric catalytic reduction forms an enantiomeric excess of compound (III) to compound (IV) of from about 96% : 4% or higher, about 98% : 2% or higher, or about 99% : 1% or higher.

4A process for the preparation of a compound according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein after a crystallization step the enantiomeric excess of compound (III) to compound (IV) is from about 97% ; 3% or higher, about 98% ; 2% or higher, about 99% : 1% or higher, or about >99.5 % ; about <0.5%, or about >99.7%: about < 0.03.%.

5A process for the preparation of a compound according to any preceding claim, wherein n - 1 in general formulas (I) - (IV),

6A process for the preparation of a compound according to any preceding claim, wherein n = 1 in general formulas (I) - (IV) and a hydroxyl group occurs at position 3 on the aromatic ring.

7A process for the preparation of a compound according to any preceding claim, wherein R1 is a d-ioalkyl, C2-10 aIkenyl, C2-10 alkynyl or C2-10 organohalide.

8A process for the preparation of a compound according to any preceding claim, wherein R1 is selected from any of methyl, ethyl, propyl and butyl,

9A process for the preparation of a compound according to any preceding claim, wherein R1 is methyl and n = 1 and the prepared compound is (R)-3-(1- Hydroxy-ethyl)-phenol as shown beiow in formula (VI):

10A process for the preparation of a compound according to any preceding claim, wherein the transfer hydrogenation is performed using a chiral transition metal based catalyst.

11A process for the preparation of a compound according to any preceding claim, wherein the transfer hydrogenation is performed using a complexed transition metal based chirai catalyst containing multiple aryl, mono- bi-, or poly-dentate ligands.

12A process for the preparation of a compound according to any preceding claim, wherein the transfer hydrogenation is performed using a Ru, Rh or Ir based catalyst.

13A process for the preparation of a compound according to any preceding claim, wherein the transfer hydrogenation is performed using a chiral (diphenylethylenediamine) based Ru catalyst.

14A process for the preparation of a compound according to any preceding claim, wherein the transfer hydrogenation is performed using a chiral metal catalyst as shown in structure (VII); or wherein M = a transition metal; L1 = an aryl based group, a carbonyl, C2-20 alkenyl or C2-20 alkynyl; and L2 = a halide, an orgarrohalide, a borohalide, a sulphonate, nitriies, carbenes, carbon monoxide, phosphines, a carbonyl, an amine- or amide-containing group.

15A process for the preparation of a compound according to claim 14, wherein the transition metal M is Ru, Rh or Ir.

16A process for the preparation of a compound according Io any of claims 14 or 15, wherein L1 is p-cymene, benzene, cydoocladsene, triphenylphosphine. or norbornadiene

17A process for the preparation of a compound according to any of claims 14 to 16, wherein L2 is chloride, bromide, iodide, tetrafluoroborate, tripentafiuorophenylborane (i.e. BARF), mesylate, triftuoroacetate, Inflate, methylallyl or acetylacetonato.

18A process for the preparation of a compound according to any preceding cJaim, wherein the transfer hydrogenatson is performed using a efwal metal catalyst as shown in structure (VIIl):

19A process for the preparation of a compound according to any preceding claim, wherein the transfer hydrogenation is performed using a chirai metal catalyst selected from any one of or combination of the following: (1R,2R)-(-)-Chioro-N-(4-toluenesulfonyl-1,2-diphenylethylenediamin8)(p-cymene)rυthentum; or (1R,2R)-(-)-N-4-toluenesulfony]-1,2-diphenylethylenediamine in combination with ruthenium p-cymene chloride dimer.

20A process for the preparation of a compound according to any preceding claim, wherein the transfer hydrogenation is performed using a chiral metal catalyst and the catalyst is present in a range from about 0,005 mol % to about 5.0 mol %, about 0.01 mol % to about 1.0 mol % or from about 0.05 mol % to about 0.5 mol %.

21A process for the preparation of a compound according to any preceding claim, wherein the reduced hydrαxyphenone forms a chiral alcohol which is converted via a series of steps to a chiral amino alcohol as follows: (a) performing an activation step on the hydroxyl groups of the formed chiral alcohol Io form activated hydroxy alcoholic groups and activated hydroxy phenolic groups on the chiral alcohol; (b) performing a nucieophtlsc substitution on the activated hydroxy alcoholic groups; and (c) cleaving the activated hydroxy phenolic groups to form the chirai amino alcohol.

23A process for the preparation o! a compound according to any of claims 21 or 22, wherein the nudeophiiic substitution is performed with an amine,

24A process for the preparation of a compound according to any of claims 21 to 23, wherein the reduced hydroxyphenone (R)-3-(Hydroxy-ethyl)phenol (compound Vl) is converted to (S)-3-(1-Dimethylamino-ethyl)-phenol which is shown below as structure ((X):

25A process for the preparation of (S)-3-(1-Dimethylamino-ethyl)-phenol of formula (iX) comprising; (a) performing an asymmetric catalytic reduction using transfer hydrogenatson on 1-(3-Hydroxy-phenyl)-ethanαne (compound V) to form (R)-3-(1-Hydroxy-ethyl)-phenol (compound Vl) as shown below: (V) (b) performing an activation step on the hydroxyl groups of the formed (R)-3-(1-Hydroxy-ethyl )-phenol to form activated hydroxy alcoholic groups and activated hydroxy phenolic groups on the (R)-3-(1- Hydroxy-ethyl)-phenol; (c) performing a nucleophiHc substitution on the activated hydroxy alcoholic groups; and (d) cleaving the activated hydroxy phenolic groups; wherein (S)-3-(1-Dimethylamino-ethyl)-phenol is formed.

26A process for the preparation of (S)-3-(1-Dimethylamino-eihyl)-phenol (compound IX), comprising: (a) reducing 1-(3-hydroxy-phenyl)-ethanone of formula (V) to form (R)-3- (Hydroxy-ethyl)phenol of formula (Vl); (b) transforming (R)-3-(Hydroxy-ethyl)phenol (compound Vl) to form (R)-methanesulfonic acid 3-(1-methanesulfonyloxy-ethyl)-phenyl; (c) performing a nucleophiiic substitution on the activated hydroxy alcoholic groups utilizing dimethyl amine; and (d) transforming (S)-methanesulfonic acid 3-(1-dimethylamino-ethyl)-phenyl ester to form the chirai (S)-3-(1-Dimethylamino-ethyl)-phenol.

27A process according to any of claim 24 to 28, wherein the chiral (S)-3-(1-Dimethylamino-ethyl)-phenol (compound lX) obtained is further purified by a crystallization.

28A process according to claim 27, wherein the crystallization is a kinetic crystallization.

29A process for the preparation of a compound according to any of claims 21 to 28, 27 or 28, wherein the reduced hydroxyphenone (R)-3-(Hydroxy-ethyl)phenol (compound Vl) is converted to (S)-3-(1-Dimethylamino-ethyl)-phenol (compound IX) according to claims 24, 25, 28, 27 or 28, wherein the enantiomeric ratio (S): (R) is 90:10 or higher, e.g. 95:5 or higher, e.g. 99:1 or higher, e.g. 99.5:0.5 or higher, e.g. 99.9:0.1 or higher.

30A process for the preparation of a compound according to any preceding claim, further comprising the step or steps to form rivasiigimine in the form of a free base, a salt or a prodrug thereof.

31A process for the preparation of rivastigimine comprising: (i) performing the process of claims 25 or 28 (ii) further acylating the (S)-3-(1-Dimethylamino-ethyl)-phenol (compound IX) to form rivastigimine, wherein the phenoJic hydroxy group of the resulting product is acylated with an acyfating agent of the formula C2H5(CH3)NC(O)X, wherein X is OH or an activating group, e.g. halo to form [3-[(1S)-1-dimethylaminoethyl]phenyl] N-ethyl-N-methylcarbamate, the process optionally further comprising resolving the end product of step (ii) to resolve [3-[(1S)-1-dimethylaminoethyl]phenyl] N-ethyl-N-methylcarbamate from its (IR)-isomer

32A process according to claim 31 which further comprises; (i) contacting the rivastigimine with a pharmaceutically acceptable acid to form an acid addition salt thereof; or (ii) incorporating the rivastigimine into a drug delivery product; or (iii) contacting the rivastigimine with a pharmaceutically acceptable acid to form an add addition salt thereof and incorporating the rivastigimine into a drug delivery product.

33Use of a chirai alcohol prepared according to any of claims 1 to 20 in the preparation of an active pharmaceutical ingredient starting material for production of pharmaceutical compositions.

34Use of a compound according to claim 33, wherein the active pharmaceutical ingredient starting material is (S)-3-(1-Dimethylamino-ethyl)-phenol.

35Use of a compound according to claim 34, wherein the prepared (S)-3-(1-Dimethylamino-ethyl)-phenol is used to form a pharmaceutical composition comprising rivastigimine or rivastigsmine hydrogen tartrate.

36(R)-methanesulfonic acid 3-(1-methanesuffonyloxy-ethyl)-phenyl ester or (S)-methanesυlfonic acid 3-(1-methanesulfonyloxy-ethyl)-phenyl ester or a mixture thereof.

37CR)-methanesulfonic acid 3-(1-Dimethylamino-ethyl)-phenyl ester or (S)-methanesuifonic acid 3-(1-Dimethylamino-ethyl)-phenyl ester or a mixture thereof,

38(R)-3-(1-hydroxyethyl)-phenyl meihanesuffonate or (S)-3-(1-hydroxyethyl)-phenyl methanesuϊfonate or a mixture thereof.

39(R)-1-(3-hydroxyphenyl)-ethyl methanesuffonate or (S)-1-(3-hydroxyphenyl)-ethyl methanesulfonate or a mixture thereof.