1. lithium tri-sec-butylborohydride (L-selectride, 1M THF solution, 360.8 mL) was slowly added dropwise to (4aS,8aS)-3-methoxy-11-methyl-9,10,11,12-tetrahydro-4aH-benzo[2,3]benzofuran[4,3-cd]azepin-6(5H)-one (50g. 0.175 mol) in a suspension in THF (1000 mL).
2. The reaction mixture was stirred at -50 to -45 °C for 1 h, followed by continued stirring for 3 h. The progress of the reaction was monitored by HPLC.
3. Upon completion of the reaction, the reaction was quenched by the addition of 40% aqueous hydrogen peroxide (85 g, 1 mol) followed by the addition of aqueous sodium sulfite to decompose the excess peroxide.
4. The reaction mixture was concentrated under pressure and the product was extracted with toluene (1250 mL).
5. The organic phase was concentrated under reduced pressure at 50-55 °C to afford oily (4aS,6R,8aS)-3-methoxy-11-methyl-5,6,9,10,11,12-hexahydro-4aH-benzo[2,3]benzofuro[4,3-cd]azepin-6-ol (galanthamine base).
6. Galanthamine base was dissolved in a solvent mixture of ethanol (200 mL) and deionized water (50 mL), 48% aqueous hydrobromic acid (31.09 g, 0.185 mol) was added, and stirred for 2 hours at 15-20 °C.
7. The product was collected by filtration and dried under vacuum at 50-55 °C to afford (4aS,6R,8aS)-3-methoxy-11-methyl-5,6,9,10,11,12-hexahydro-4aH-benzo[2,3]benzofuro[4,3-cd]azepin-6-ol hydrobromide in the form of a white crystalline powder (55 g, 85.4% yield).
8. The chromatographic purity of the product was 99.85% by HPLC, the enantiomeric purity was 100%, the melting point was 253 °C (decomposition) and the specific optical rotation [α]25D = -96.5 (c 0.1, water).
9. The structure of the product was confirmed by IR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR and HRMS.