Patent ID: 6242635
Filing Date: 2001-06-05
Classification: C07C

Abstract:
A process for producing a propionic acid derivative comprising the following four steps,a first step of reacting an arylaldehyde represented by formula (I)R.sup.1 CHO (I)wherein R.sup.1 represents an aryl group with an acrylic acid ester represented by formula (II) ##STR7##wherein R.sup.2 represents a hydrocarbon group to form a 3-hydroxy-2-methylene-3-arylpropionic acid ester represented by formula (III) ##STR8##wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are as defined above,a second step of reacting the 3-hydroxy-2-methylene-3-arylpropionic acid ester of formula (III) with an acid anhydride to produce a 2-aralkylidene-3-acyloxypropionic acid ester represented by formula (IV) ##STR9##wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are as defined above, and R.sup.3 represents an acyl group,a third step of subjecting the 2-aralkylidene-3-acyloxypropionic acid ester of formula (IV) to hydrolysis or alcoholysis to produce a 2-arylmethylene-3-hydroxypropionic acid derivative represented by formula (V) ##STR10##wherein R.sup.1 is as defined above, and R.sup.4 represents a hydrogen atom or a hydrocarbon group, anda fourth step of reducing the 2-arylmethylene-3-hydroxypropionic acid derivative of formula (V) to produce a 2-arylmethyl-3-hydroxypropionic acid derivative represented by formula (VI) ##STR11##wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.4 are as defined above.