1. A method for obtaining an optically active epoxide comprising distilling an optically active epoxide in the presence of a base in an amount of 0.1 to 30% by weight based on the total amount of the epoxide being distilled.
2. The obtaining method according to claim 1, wherein the optically active epoxide is represented by formula (1):
(wherein R1, R2, R3 and R4 are each independently a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, an alkenyl group having 2 to 20 carbon atoms, an alkynyl group having 2 to 20 carbon atoms, an aryl group having 6 to 20 carbon atoms, an aralkyl group having 7 to 20 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, an aryloxy group having 6 to 20 carbon atoms, an aralkyloxy group having 7 to 20 carbon atoms, an alkoxycarbonyl group having 2 to 20 carbon atoms, an aryloxycarbonyl group having 7 to 20 carbon atoms, an aralkyloxycarbonyl group having 8 to 20 carbon atoms, an acyl group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, or a cyano group, two of these groups R1, R2, R3 and R4 may be combined together to form a ring, R1 and R2 are different groups, and * represents an asymmetric carbon atom).
3. The obtaining method according to claim 2, wherein R1 is an aryl group, and each of R2, R3 and R4 is a hydrogen atom.
4. The obtaining method according to claim 3, wherein the aryl group is a substituted or unsubstituted phenyl group.
5. The obtaining method according to claim 4, wherein the aryl group is a phenyl group substituted by 1 to 5 halogen atoms.
6. The obtaining method according to claim 5, wherein the halogen atom is a chlorine atom.
7. The obtaining method according to claim 3, wherein the aryl group is a m-chlorophenyl group.
8. The obtaining method according to claim 1, wherein the base is a nonvolatile base.
9. The obtaining method according to claim 8, wherein the nonvolatile base is an inorganic base.
10. The obtaining method according to claim 9, wherein the inorganic base is at least one of alkali metal carbonates, alkali earth metal carbonates, and alkali metal hydrogen carbonates.
11. The obtaining method according to claim 10, wherein the inorganic base is at least one of sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate, sodium hydrogen carbonate, and potassium hydrogen carbonate.
12. The obtaining method according to claim 1, wherein the distillation temperature is 50\xb0 C. to 250\xb0 C.
13. The obtaining method according to claim 12, wherein the distillation temperature is 100\xb0 C. to 250\xb0 C.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1-13. (canceled)
14. A method for validating a purchase transaction comprising the steps of:
a) using an electronic device to institute a purchase transaction transferring funds from an issuing bank account to an acquiring bank account, said electronic device having a unique hardware identification number associated therewith, and said issuing account having a unique account identification number;
b) electronically transmitting said hardware identification number to said merchant computer;
c) electronically transmitting said hardware identification number and said account identification number from a merchant computer to a verification computer, said verification computer having a database with a plurality of tables in a memory associated therewith;
d) setting a first verification data to one of the group consisting of (i) a first state if at least one table entry in said database comprises each said hardware identification number and said account identification number, (ii) a second state if at least one table entry in said database comprises said hardware identification number and not said account identification number, and (iii) a third state if at least one table entry in said database comprises said account identification number and not said hardware identification number; and
e) electronically transmitting said first verification data from said verification computer to said merchant computer.
15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of, if said merchant computer receives said first verification data in said first state, validating said purchase transaction and transferring funds from said issuing bank account to said acquiring bank account.
16. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of, if said merchant computer receives said first verification data in said second state, cancelling said purchase transaction and transmitting to said electronic device a message stating that the purchase transaction failed to validate.
17. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of, if said merchant computer receives said first verification data in said third state, requesting a personal identification code from said electronic device.
18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of electronically transmitting said personal identification code from said electronic device to said verification computer.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein said step of transmitting said personal identification code comprises the steps of electronically transmitting said personal identification code from said electronic device to said merchant computer and electronically transmitting said personal identification code from said merchant computer to said verification computer.
20. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of setting a second verification data to one of the group consisting of (i) a first state if at least one table entry in said database comprises each said personal identification and said account identification number and (ii) a second state if at least one table entry in said database comprises said account identification number and not said personal identification code.
21. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of, if said merchant computer receives said second verification data in said first state, validating said purchase transaction and transferring funds from said issuing bank account to said acquiring bank account.
22. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of, if said merchant computer receives said second verification data in said second state, cancelling said purchase transaction and transmitting to said electronic device a message stating that the purchase transaction failed to validate.
23. The method of claim 14, said electronic device comprising a network interface, said hardware identification number comprising a media access control (MAC) address of said network interface.
24. The method of claim 14, said electronic device comprising a mobile device, said hardware identification number comprising one of the group consisting of a Electronic Serial Number (ESN), a International Mobile Station Equipment Identity (IMEI), a Mobile Equipment Identifier (MEID), a User Identity Module Identifier (UIMID), and a Expanded UMID (EUMID) of said mobile device.
25. The method of claim 14, said hardware identification number further comprising one of the group consisting of a Mobile Identification Number (MIN), a Mobile Subscription Identification Number (MSIN), a Mobile Station ID (MSID), a Short IMSI (IMSI_S) of said mobile device.
26. The method of claim 14, said electronic device comprising a processor, said hardware identification number comprising unique serial number of said processor.
27. The method of claim 14, said electronic device comprising a hardware security module associated therewith, said hardware identification number comprising a hardware token of said hardware security module.
28. The method of claim 14, said electronic device comprising a read only memory element associated therewith, said hardware identification number comprising data stored in said read only memory element.
29. The method of claim 28, said read only memory element comprising one of the group consisting of a programmable read only memory (PROM) and a one-time programmable read only memory (OTPROM) element.
30. The method of claim 14, said issuing bank account comprising a credit card account.
31. The method of claim 14, said acquiring bank account comprising a checking account.
32-36. (canceled)