Classifications

• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C07—ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
  • C07C—ACYCLIC OR CARBOCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
  • C07C67/00—Preparation of carboxylic acid esters
  • C07C67/30—Preparation of carboxylic acid esters by modifying the acid moiety of the ester, such modification not being an introduction of an ester group
  • C07C67/333—Preparation of carboxylic acid esters by modifying the acid moiety of the ester, such modification not being an introduction of an ester group by isomerisation; by change of size of the carbon skeleton
  • C07C67/343—Preparation of carboxylic acid esters by modifying the acid moiety of the ester, such modification not being an introduction of an ester group by isomerisation; by change of size of the carbon skeleton by increase in the number of carbon atoms

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a novel process for preparing 1,4-dions derivatives substituted with alkylidene groups. These compounds are easily convertible into the corresponding alkyl- substituted derivatives that are used as electron donor compounds in the preparation of Ziegler-Natta heterogeneous catalysts for the polymerization of olefins. Transformation of the alkylidene-substituted- 1,4-dions derivatives into the matching alkyl- substituted compounds is normally a clean reaction with an almost quantitative yield. Therefore, in order to industrially produce these compounds in an industrially exploitable way, it is necessary to have an economically advantageous process for the production of the corresponding alkylidene-substituted compounds.
• the starting diethyl succinate was used in excess with respect to both the starting ketone (25%) and the base, which in turn was in excess (about 10%) with respect to the ketone.
• the highest yields were obtained using acetone as a ketone and were 92% with respect to the ketone, but much lower with respect to the succinate (76%).
• EP 760,355 disclosed the preparation of a 2-alkylidene-substituted succinate via the Stobbe reaction and using cycloheptanone as starting ketone.
• the base was potassium tert-butoxide and the solvent was dimethylformamide (DMF).
• DMF dimethylformamide
• R , R and R are hydrogen atoms or C ⁇ -C 20 hydrocarbon groups; optionally containing heteroatoms belonging to group 13-17 of the periodic table; or R 1 and R 2 can join together to form a saturated or unsaturated C 3 -C] 0 ring optionally containing heteroatoms belonging to group 13-17 of the periodic table; with the
• R 3 is a hydrogen atom, a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated C 1 - 5 alkyl, C 3 -C ⁇ 0 cycloalkyl, C 6 -C ⁇ o aryl, C 7 -C ⁇ 2 alkylaryl or C -C] 2 arylalkyl radical; more preferably R 3 is a hydrogen atom, a linear or secondary C C 8 alkyl or C 5 -C 7 cycloalkyl group such as methyl, ethyl, isobutyl or cyclohexyl; even more preferably R is a hydrogen atom;
• T 1 and T 2 are H, OR 4 , R 4 , NR 4 2 , SR 4 or PR 4 2 ; or T 1 and T 2 can be fused in an oxygen atom or a NR 4 group to form for example compounds of formula (Ic) or (Id):
• R 4 are a C ⁇ -C 0 hydrocarbon group, optionally containing one or more heteroatoms belonging to group 13-17 of the periodic table; preferably R 4 is a linear or branched C ⁇ -C 20 alkyl, C 3 -C ⁇ 0 cycloalkyl, C 6 -C ⁇ 0 aryl or a C 7 - Ci2 alkylaryl group; more preferably R 4 is a linear or branched C ⁇ -C 8 alkyl or C 5 -C1 0 cycloalkyl group such as methyl, ethyl, isobutyl, tert-butyl or cyclohexyl; preferably T 1 and T 2 are OR 4 , R 4 , NR 4 2 , SR 4 ; more preferably T 1 and T 2 are OR 4 ; said process comprises the step of reacting a compound offormula (II)
• M more preferably K 2 CO , Na 2 CO 3 , KHCO 3 or NaHCO 3 ; even more preferably K 2 CO 3 or
• one equivalent means the same amount of basic functionality i.e. the capability to accept an acidic proton.
• K 2 CO 3 means that only 0.5 mole of K CO per mole of compound of formula (Ilia) or
• KHCO means that one mole of KHCO is used per one mole of compound of formula (Ilia) or (Illb) for the reason that the anion HCO 3 " is able to accept one acidic proton.
• Example of carbonate of metal M or of a compound of formula MT j that can be used in the present invention are:
• the amount of the carbonate of metal M or of a compound of formula MT j to be used in the process is at least one equivalent with respect to the compound of formula (Hla) or (mb).
• the amount is between 1 and 4 equivalents, more preferably between 1 and 1.5.
• the molar ratio between the compounds of formula (II) and (Ilia) or (ITIb) ranges from 5 to 0.2, preferably from 1.5 to 0.5, more preferably from 1.2 to 1.
• the reaction can be carried out both in protic and aprotic solvent, such as water, or alcohols for protic solvents and toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene, dimethylformammide (DMF), N,N- dimethylacetamide, l-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, diethyl ether, tetrahydrofurane, acetonitrile, for aprotic solvents.
• aprotic solvent such as water, or alcohols for protic solvents and toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene, dimethylformammide (DMF), N,N- dimethylacetamide, l-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, diethyl ether, tetrahydrofurane, acetonitrile, for aprotic solvents.
• aprotic solvent such as water, or alcohols for protic solvents and toluene, ethylbenzene,
• reaction can also be carried out without solvents when one or more of the reactants are in liquid phase.
• the above process is very suitable for obtaining the 2-alkylidene substituted- 1,4-dions derivatives in very high yields.
• the applicant found that by carrying out the process according to the above-mentioned conditions the work-up of the final reaction mixtures is very simple. In fact, in most of the cases the work-up comprises only a dilution of the reaction mixture with water and an extraction of the desired products with an appropriate organic solvent, which is then suitably removed.
• R 2 is hydrogen and R 1 is selected from C 4 -C 20 hydrocarbon groups.
• R 1 is C ⁇ -C 8 alkyl, C 5 -C ⁇ 0 cycloalkyl, C 6 -C ⁇ 0 aryl,
• R 1 and R 2 are C ⁇ -C 20 hydrocarbon groups, among them particularly preferred are the compounds in which R 1 and R 2 , equal to or different from each other, are C ⁇ -C 8 alkyl.
• R and R are: methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, cyclobutyl, but-3-enyl, cyclopropyl, isopropyl, n-butyl, sec -butyl, tert-butyl, n-pentyl, isopentyl, sec-pentyl, 1 -ethylpropyl, cyclohexyl, 4-methylcyclohexyl, 2-methylcyclohexyl, 3-methylcyclohexyl, neo-pentyl, cyclopentyl.
• R 1 and R 2 are the same and chosen among methyl, ethyl or propyl are preferred. Also preferred are the compounds in which R 1 and R 2 are linked together to form a cycle containing from 3 to 10 carbon atoms such as cyclopentyl, cyclohexyl, or cycloheptyl.
• the reactants can be brought into contact with each other according to any order whatsoever.
• the temperature for carrying out the process generally ranges from about -30 to 200°C, more typically from 10 to 180°C and preferably from 70 to 180°C.
• the skilled in the art can easily select, within these ranges, the optimum temperature by taking into account parameters like the boiling temperature of the reaction medium, that of the starting compounds and the desired rate of the reaction.
• alkylidene-substituted- 1,4-dions derivatives obtained with the process of the present invention can be converted into the corresponding alkyl-substituted derivatives with methods known in the art. These final compounds are used as electron donor in the preparation of
• the alkyl-substituted- 1,4-dions derivatives can be suitably obtained via the catalytic hydrogenation, this reaction is well known in the art. A review of this kind of reaction can for example be found in Comprehensive Organic Transformation: a guide to functional group preparation by R. C. Larock published by VCH Publishers.
• catalysts which can be used for carrying out this reaction, particularly preferred are the palladium or platinum deposited on carbon, alumina, BaCO , CaCO 3 or PtO 2 .
• the content of palladium and/or platinum for deposited catalyst ranges from 0.5 to 30%, preferably from 1 to
• the temperature at which this reaction is carried out may range from 0 to 150°C, more typically from 40 to 120°C.
• the hydrogen pressure is generally higher than the atmospheric pressure and preferably higher than 15 bar. The skilled in the art can easily select, within these ranges, the optimum temperature by taking into account parameters like the boiling temperature of the reaction medium, that of the starting compounds and the like.
• reaction times for the process of the present invention may be from about 1 min to about
• reaction time is comprised from about 10 min to about 8 hours.
• the skilled in the art can control the state of the reaction by following the techniques known in the art and decide when to stop it.
• One subclass of compounds obtainable with the process of the invention are diethyl sec- butylidenesuccinate, diethyl cyclopropylidenesuccinate diethyl cyclohexylidenesuccinate, diethyl benzylidenesuccinate, diethyl cyclohexylmethylidenesuccinate, diethyl isobutylidenesuccinate, diethyl isopropylidenesuccinate, diethyl isopentylidenesuccinate and the corresponding products of formula (lb) and the corresponding compounds esterified with different alkoxy moieties.
• the 2-alkylidene- 1,4-dions derivative obtained with the process of the present invention can be also further substituted on position 3 in a subsequent reaction.
• the second substitution can be carried out by using the Stobbe reaction, as described for example in EP 01202184.6 with subsequent re-esterification of one acidic group and hydrogenation of the obtained compound.
• a further object of the present invention is a process for preparing 2, 3-disubstituted- alkylidene-1.4 dions derivatives of formula (IV a), (IVb) or (IVc) or a mixture thereof:
• R 1 , R 2 R 4 and T 2 are described above; preferably T 2 is OR 4 ; R 5 and R 6 equal to or different from each other, are hydrogen atoms or C]-C 2 o hydrocarbon groups; optionally containing heteroatoms belonging to group 13-17 of the periodic table; or R 5 and R 6 can join together to form a saturated or unsaturated C 3 -C ⁇ 0 ring optionally containing heteroatoms belonging to group 13-17 of the periodic table; with the proviso that R 5 and R are not hydrogen at the same time; comprising the following steps: a) reacting a compound of formula (II)
• Step a) is substantially the same process described above;
• Step b) is preferably carried out under conditions such that:
• step a) the compound obtained from step a) is used in a molar amount substantially equal to, or lower than, the amount of compound of formula (VI);
• the base used in step b) is in a molar amount substantially equal to the compound obtained in step a) and it is selected from hydrides of formula MeH z where Me is a metal belonging to group I-II of the periodic table of elements and z is the valence of the metal and alkoxides of formula R 5 OMe where R 5 is a C 1 -C 15 hydrocarbon group and Me has the meaning given above; and
• the reaction medium comprises an aprotic liquid medium or a protic liquid medium having a K a , measured in water, lower than that of iso-propyl alcohol (i-PrOH).
• a molar amount substantially equal is meant an amount which is no more than 10%, preferably 5%, by mol different from the amount of the compound of reference.
• the preferred reaction media for step b) are the aprotic diluents and, among them, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene, dimethylformammide (DMF), N,N-dimethylacetamide, l-methyl-2- pyrrolidone, diethylether, tetrahydrofurane are particularly preferred. Toluene and DMF are especially preferred and DMF is the most preferred. Among protic solvents tert-butanol is one of the most preferred.
• the reaction medium chosen among aprotic liquid medium or a protic liquid medium having a K a , measured in water, lower than that of i-PrOH, should be the largely prevailing medium but may be not the only one.
• small amounts generally not higher than 10% by volume with respect to the total amount of the diluents of liquids not falling within the above classes can in some cases be present for particular purposes.
• one of these liquids is preferably ethanol.
• the base used in step b) is preferably selected among alkoxides of formula R 7 OMe where
• R 6 is a C ⁇ -C 15 hydrocarbon group and Me has the meaning given above. Particularly preferred among them are the alkoxides in which R 6 is a C 1 -C 5 alkyl group and Me is Na or
• K Especially preferred compounds are potassium tert-butoxide, sodium tert-butoxide, potassium ethoxide, sodium ethoxide.
• such preferred alkoxides are used in combination with the aprotic solvents specified above.
• the combination of the preferred alkoxides with the aprotic solvents like DMF or toluene is especially preferred.
• One class of preferred starting compounds among those of formula (VI) is that in which one of the groups R 5 or R 6 is hydrogen and the other group is selected from C 4 -C 2 o hydrocarbon groups, preferably from those not having unsaturation on the carbon atom linked to the carbonyl of formula (VI); particularly preferred are the compounds in which this group is a secondary or tertiary alkyl group.
• Another class of preferred compounds among those of formula (VI) is that in which both R 5 and R 6 are C 1 -C 20 hydrocarbon groups preferably not having unsaturation on the carbon atom linked to the carbonyl of formula (VI). Among them particularly preferred are the compounds in which R 5 and R 6 are C ⁇ -C 8 alkyl groups or
• R 5 and R 6 join together to form cyclic ketones.
• suitable ketones are methyl ethyl ketone, methyl n-propyl ketone, cyclobutyl methyl ketone, but-3-enyl methyl ketone, acetylcyclopropane, diethyl ketone, methoxyacetone, isopropyl methyl ketone, 2-hexanone, 4-methyl-2-pentanone, methyl sec-butyl ketone, methyl tert-butyl ketone, ethyl n-propyl ketone, ethyl isopropyl ketone, isopentyl methyl ketone, 4-methylcyclohexanone, 2- methylcyclohexanone, 3-methylcyclohexanone, 2,2-dimethyl-3-pentanone, 2-heptanone, 3- heptanone, di-n-propyl ketone, , dicyclopropy
• step (b) has a non-esterified carboxylic group formed during this step.
• an esterification step must be carried out which is the step (c) of the process of the invention.
• the esterification step can be carried out according to any of the many methods known in the art.
• esters includes for example the esterification of a carboxylic acid through the reaction with an alcohol catalyzed by an acid or a base.
• the preferred method for carrying out the esterification according to the present invention is the reaction of the product of step (b) with a compound of formula R X where X is halogen and R is C 1 -C 20 hydrocarbon group.
• X is selected from Br, CI and I and R 7 is a primary C]-C 8 alkyl group.
• R groups are methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, n-butyl and isobutyl.
• ethyl bromide is especially preferred.
• This method has the advantage that the alkylidene substituted product of step (b) can directly be reacted with the compound of formula R X without being first subjected to a preliminary work-up thereby saving time and increasing the yields.
• the temperature for carrying out step (c) is not critical. It generally ranges from about -30 to 150°C, more typically from -10 to 110°C. The skilled in the art can easily select, within these ranges, the optimum temperature by taking into account parameters like the boiling temperature of the reaction medium, that of the starting compounds and the like.
• steps a), b) and c) are carried out "one pot” i.e. without isolating the intermediate products.
• the saturated derivatives of succinic and 4-oxo-butanoic acids find various applications in the art including the use in the pharmaceutical industry and, as mentioned above, as modifying compounds of Ziegler-Natta polymerization catalysts.
• a toluene-water mixture (125 ml) was slowly distilled off during 60 min. while gradually increasing the temperature of the reaction mixture from 75 °C back to 150 °C. After cooling to 30 °C, the mixture was treated with acetone (432 mmol) added fast in one portion and then with potassium ethoxide (460 mmol) added during 15 min. using a powder addition funnel. The funnel was rinsed with N,N-dimethylformamid (5 x 10 ml) to transfer all the potassium ethoxide into the reaction flask. After that the reaction mixture was heated to 60 °C and stirred for 30 min.
• reaction mixture was treated with toluene (50 ml) added fast in one portion.
• the reaction flask was then fitted with a 20 ml Dean-Stark receiver, the mixture was heated up to a reflux temperature (-140 °C) and the water formed during the first stage of the reaction was removed by azeotropic drying total 51 ml of a toluene- water mixture were collected during the azeotropic drying and the subsequent distillation.
• reaction mixture was treated with acetone (432 mmol) added fast in one portion, then with a solution of potassium ethoxide (460 mmol) in a mixture of N,N-dimethylformamide (153 ml) and ethanol (26.7 ml) added dropwise during 10 min., and following the completion of the addition stirred at 60 °C for 30 min.
• the mixture was then treated with bromoethane (460 mmol) added fast in one portion, heated up from 60 °C to 80 °C, and stirred at this temperature for 60 min.
• reaction mixture was treated with potassium ethoxide (100 mmol) added fast in one portion, stirred for 30 min., then treated with bromoethane (216 mmol) added fast in one portion, and stirred at the same temperature of 80 °C for additional 60 min.
• the mixture was cooled to 10 °C, quenched with water (333 ml), and then diluted with ether (133 ml). The organic phase was separated and the water phase was extracted with ether (4 x 100 ml).

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• 2003
  • 2003-07-25 BR BR0305725-9A patent/BR0305725A/pt not_active Application Discontinuation
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