Title of Invention

PROCESS FOR THE PREPARATION OF 5-AND/OR 6-SUBSTITUTED-2-HYDROXYBENZOIC ACID ESTERS

Abstract

The present invention relates to a process for the preparation of a compound of formula I wherein R is C1-C6 alkyl; and R1 and R2 are each independently H or C1-C4 alkyl which process comprises reacting a compound of formula II wherein R is C1-C6 alkyl and X is halogen or OCOCH3 with a compound of formula III wherein R1 and R2 are each independently H or C1-C4 alkyl, in the presence of a C1-C4 carboxylic acid salt and a solvent.

Full Text

Derivatives of 2-hydroxybenzoic acid esters are useful starting materials for natural product synthesis, for example F.M. Hauser, et al., Synthesis 1980, 72 or for the manufacture of fungicidal benzophenones such as those described in U.S. 5,773,663. Methods to prepare said 2-hydroxybenzoic acid esters are known, i.e. G. Schill, et al.f Synthesis, 1980. 814 or Y. Hamada, et al, Tetrahedron, Vol. 47 (1991), 8635. However, these known methods require several steps and utilize corrosive or toxic reagents and are not amenable to large scale preparation or commercial manufacturing conditions. The two-step syntheses cited in Synthesis and Tetrahedron hereinabove require the isolation of intermediates resulting in an undue solvent waste load on the environment. Further these syntheses require gaseous HC1 and a separate oxidation procedure employing oxidizing reagents such as Br2 or CuCl2- Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide an effective and efficient single-step process :o prepare 5- and/or 6-substituted-2-hydroxybenzoic icid esters which is amenable to large scale ^reparations and commercial manufacturing procedures. It is another object of this invention to provide m effective means of obtaining a substituted-2-lydroxybenzoic acid ester.in good yield under relatively mild reaction conditions from readily vailable starting materials and reagents. It is a further object of this invention to provide an environmentally sound commercial source of substituted-2-hydroxybenzoic acid esters for the preparation of important phytopathogenic fungicidal agents and the continued exploration of natural product synthesis. These and other objects and features of the invention will become more apparent from the detailed description set forth hereinbelow. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a single-step process for the preparation of a compound of formula I wherein R is C1-C6alky!; and R1 and R2 are each independently H or C1-C4alkyl which process comprises reacting a compound of formula II wherein R is C1-C6alkyl and X is halogen or OCOCH3 with a compound of formula III wherein R1 and R2 are each independently H or C1-C4alkyl, and formula III compound is understood to be' cis, Trans, or a mixture thereof, in the presence of a C1-C4carboxylic acid salt and a solvent. Also provided is the use of the formula I compound in the manufacture of a fungicidal benzophenone compound. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE UsTVENTION Substituted-2-hydroxybenzoic acid esters of formula I are useful as key starting materials in natural product synthesis and in the manufacture of important benzophenone fungicidal agents. Said fungicidal agents help growers provide top quality food products and feed grains to U.S. consumers as well as the world. Virtually all seeds for U.S. corn and wheat crops and nearly one-third of soybeans are treated with fungicidal agents. Therefore, the efficient preparation of such fungicidally active compounds in an environmentally sound manner is highly desirable. It has now been found that 5- and/or 6-substituted-2-hydroxybenzoic acid esters of formula I may be prepared in a single-step process from readily available starting materials and under relatively mild reaction conditions, allowing effective large scale commercial production. Advantageously, the process of the invention avoids the use of corrosive gaseous HC1 and eliminates the need for oxidizing reagents such as Br2 and CuCl2. Preferred compounds prepared by the process of the invention are those compounds of formula I wherein R1 is C1-C4alkyl and R2 is hydrogen. More preferred compounds are those compounds of formula I wherein Rx is methyl and R2 is hydrogen. Preferred compounds of formula II employed in the process of the invention are those compounds wherein X is halogen. More preferred compounds are those compounds of formula II wherein X is CI. Compounds of formula III may be represented in the cis or trans configuration or as a mixture thereof. In the specification and claims, compounds designated as formula III include the cis isomer, the trans isomer or a mixture thereof. The term halogen as used in the specification and claims designates CI, Br, F or I. In accordance with the process of the invention, a (3-ketoester of formula II is reacted with an a, (3-unsaturated aldehyde of formula III in the presence of a C1-C4carboxylic acid salt, preferably about 1.0-2.0 molar equivalents, more preferably about 1.0-1.5 molar equivalents and a solvent, preferably a C1-C6alkanol, a C1-C4carboxylic acid or a mixture thereof, more preferably methanol, ethanol, acetic acid or a mixture thereof to form the desired product of formula I. The reaction is shown in flow diagram I wherein M is an alkali metal or an alkaline-earth metal. The formula I hydroxybenzoic acid ester product may be isolated using conventional isolation techniques such as precipitation, decantation, filtration, extraction, chromatographic separation or the like, preferably filtration or extraction. In the process of the invention, reaction rate is directly related to reaction temperature, that is, the reaction rate increases with increased temperature. However, excessively high reaction temperatures may lead to decomposition and the formation of undesired by-products, thereby reducing product yield and purity. Suitable reaction temperatures in the process of the invention may range from room temperature to the reflux temperature of the solvent preferably about 25°C to 125°C, more preferably about 75° to 120°. Acid salts suitable for use in the process of the invention are aliphatic acid salts, preferably C1-C4 carboxylic acid alkali metal or alkaline-earth salts, more preferably acetic acid alkali metal salts such as sodium acetate or potassium acetate. Suitable solvents for use in the inventive process include polar solvents, preferably protic solvents such as Cx-C6alkanols, Cx-C4carboxylic acids or a mixture thereof, more preferably methanol, ethanol, acetic acid or a mixture thereof. In actual practice, the formula II (3-ketoester and the formula III a, (3-unsaturated aldehyde are admixed with about 1.0 to 2.0, preferably about 1.0 to 1.5, more preferably'about 1.2, molar equivalents of a C1-C4carboxylic acid salt, preferably an alkali metal or an alkaline-earth metal salt, more preferably an alkali metal acetate in a solvent, preferably a protic solvent, more preferably a C1-C4alkanol, a C1-C4carboyxic acid or a mixture thereof, at room temperature to the reflux temperature of the solvent, preferably 25°C to 125°C, more preferably 75°C to 120°C to form the desired formula 15- and/or 6-substituted-2-hydroxybenzoic acid ester. Compounds of formula I are useful as intermediates in the synthesis of natural products and in the manufacture of benzophenone fungicidal agents*. Accordingly, in one embodiment of the invention a compound of formula I prepared from the compounds of formula II and III in a single-step procedure as described hereinabove may be conveniently converted to a benzophenone fungicidal compound of formula IV by alkylating the formula I compound with a di-(C1-C6alkyl) sulfate in the presence of a base to form the corresponding alkoxy derivative of formula V; hydrolyzing the formula V derivative in the presence of aqueous acid or aqueous base to form the corresponding formula VI carboxylic acid; reacting the formula VI compound with a chlorinating agent such as S0C12 to form the acid chloride of formula VII; and reacting the formula VII acid chloride with a compound of formula VIII in the presence of a Lewis acid, optionally in the presence of a solvent, to form the desired formula IV fungicidal product. The reaction sequence is shown in flow diagram II wherein R3, R4, R5 and R6 are each independently C1-C6alky!. Compounds of formula IV, their fungicidal use and methods to prepare compounds of formula IV are described in U.S. 5,773,663, and pending patent application Serial No. 08/914,966, filed August 20, 1997 and incorporated herein by reference thereto. For a more clear understanding of the invention, the following examples are set forth below. These examples are merely illustrative and are not be understood as limiting the scope or underlying principles of the invention in any way. The term NMR designates nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Unless otherwise mentioned, all parts are parts by weight. EXAMPLE 1 Preparation of Ethyl 2-Hvdroxy-6-methvlbenzoate A stirred mixture of crotonaldehyde (21.0 g, 0.30 mol) and anhydrous sodium acetate (25.0 g, 0.30 mol) in glacial acetic acid is heated to reflux temperature under N2, treated dropwise with ethyl chloroacetoacetate (41.1 g, 95%, 0.25 mol) over a 2.25 hr. period, heated at reflux temperature for 16 hr., cooled to room temperature and concentrated in vacuo to give a residue. The residue is partitioned between ethyl acetate and water. The organic phase is diluted with hexanes, washed sequentially with water and aqueous NaHC03 and concentrated in vacuo to give the title product as an oil, 41.0 g, 71.4% purity (65% yield), characterized by NMR analysis. EXAMPLE 2 Preparation of Ethyl 2-Hydroxy-5-methvlbenzoate A stirred mixture of 2-methylacrolein (22.8 g, 92%, 0.30 mol), ethyl 2-chloroacetoacetate (41.1 g, 95%, 0.25 mol) and anhydrous sodium acetate (24.6 g, 0.30 mol) in acetic acid is heated at reflux temperature under N2 for 16 hr., cooled to room temperature and concentrated in vacuo to give a residue. The residue is partitioned between ethyl acetate and water. The organic phase is concentrated in vacuo to give the title product as an oil, 44.2 g, 71.9% purity (70.6% yield), characterized by NMR analysis). EXAMPLES 3-11 Preparation of 5- and/or 6-Substituted-2-hydroxy-benzoic acid esters Using essentially the same procedure described in Examples 1 and 2 above and employing the appropriate ketoester andα,β -unsaturated aldehyde, the following 2-hydroxybenzoic acid esters shown in Table I are obtained. EXAMPLE 12 Preparation of Ethyl 2-Hydroxv-6-methYlbenzoate via 2 -acetoxyacetoacetate In this example, ethyl 2-acetoxyacetoacetate is prepared by heating a mixture of ethyl 2-chloroaceto-acetate (95.5 g, 95%, 0.58 mol) and sodium acetate (57.0 g, 0.7 mol) in acetic acid at reflux temperature under N2 for 16 hr and concentrating the reaction mixture in vacuo to give a residue. The residue is partitioned between ethyl acetate and water. The organic phase is diluted with hexanes, washed sequentially with water and aqueous NaHC03/ and concentrated in vacuo to obtain an oil, 82 g, identified as ethyl 2-acetoxyacetoacetate by NMR and mass spectral analyses. A portion of the thus-obtained ethyl 2-acetoxyacetoacetate (19.0 g, 0.1 mol theory) without further purification, is mixed with crotonaldehyde (10.0 g, 0.14 mole) and sodium acetate (3.0 g, 0.036 mol) in acetic acid and heated at reflux temperature for 16 hr. The reaction mixture is cooled to room temperature and concentrated in vacuo to give a residue. The residue is partitioned between ethylacetate and water. The organic phase is diluted with hexanes, washed sequentially with water and aqueous NaHC03 an^ concentrated in vacuo to give the title product as an oil, 16.6 g, 41% purity (37.8% yield), characterized by NMR analysis. WE CLAIM: 1. A process for the preparation of a compound of formula I j wherein R is C1-C6alkyl; and R1 and R2 are each independently H or C1-C4alkyl which process comprises reacting a compound of formula II wherein R is C1-C6alkyl and X is halogen or OCOCH3 with a compound of formula III wherein Rx and R2 are each independently H or Cx-C4alkyl, in the presence of a Cx-C^arboxylic acid salt and a solvent. 2. The process according to claim 1 wherein the solvent is a C^-Cgalkanol, a Ci-C4carboxylic acid or a mixture thereof. 3. The process according to claim 2 wherein the solvent is methanol, ethanol, acetic acid or a mixture thereof. 4. The process according to claim 1 wherein the C1-C4carboxylic acid salt is a sodium or potassium salt. 5. The process according to claim 4 wherein said salt is sodium acetate. 6. The process according to claim 1 having a formula II compound wherein X is halogen. 7. The process according to claim 6 having a formula II compound wherein X is CI, 8. The process according to claim 1 having a formula III compound wherein R± is methyl and R2 is H. 9. The process according to claim 5 wherein the solvent is acetic acid, ethanol or a mixture thereof. 10. The process according to claim 9 for the preparation of a formula I compound wherein R' is ethyl, Rx is methyl and R2 is H.

Documents:

in-pct-2002-0178-che abstract-duplicate.pdf

in-pct-2002-0178-che claims-duplicate.pdf

in-pct-2002-0178-che description (complete)-duplicate.pdf

in-pct-2002-178-che-abstract.pdf

in-pct-2002-178-che-claims .pdf

in-pct-2002-178-che-correspondance others.pdf

in-pct-2002-178-che-correspondance po.pdf

in-pct-2002-178-che-description complete .pdf

in-pct-2002-178-che-form 1.pdf

in-pct-2002-178-che-form 19.pdf

in-pct-2002-178-che-form 26.pdf

in-pct-2002-178-che-form 3.pdf

in-pct-2002-178-che-form 5.pdf

in-pct-2002-178-che-pct.pdf