Vigabatrin (CAS NO.: ), with its systematic name of 4-Amino-5-hexenoic acid, could be produced through many synthetic methods.

Following is one of the reaction routes:

The reaction of 3-aminotetrahydrofuran-2-one (I) with benzyloxycarbonyl chloride (II) and TEA in chloroform gives the carbamate (III), which is reduced to the lactol (IV) by means of DI in toluene. It has been observed that lactol (IV) is in equilibrium with its tautomeric open chain aldehydic form.(V). The reaction of (IV)&(V) with phosphonium bromide (VI) by means of Bu-Li in THF yields 3-amino-4-penten-1-ol (VII), which is reprotected with benzyloxycarbonyl chloride (II) and TEA to afford the carbamate (VIII). The reaction of (VIII) with CBr₄ and PPh₃ in dichloromethane provides the pentenyl bromide (IX), which is treated with LiCN in THF to give 4-(benzyloxycarbonylamino)-5-hexenenitrile (X). Finally this compound is hydrolyzed with conc. HCl to yield the target 4-amino-5-hexenoic acid.