Patent ID: 6362365
Filing Date: 2002-03-26
Classification: C07C

Abstract:
A process for preparing trifluorobenzoic acids of the formula in which R is a straight-chain or branched alkyl radical having 1 to 6 C-atoms, an unsubstituted phenyl radical, a substituted phenyl radical which contains one or two alkyl or alkoxy groups having in each case 1 to 4 C atoms, or an araliphatic radical having 7 to 12 C atoms, which comprises reacting a compound of the formula in which R1 and R2 are identical or different and are â€”CN, â€”COOR , where R3 is H, Li, Na, K, MgCl, MgBr, Mgl, Â½Mg, Â½Ca or an alkyl radical having 1 to 6 C atoms, or â€”CONR4R5, where R4 and R5 are identical or different and are an alkyl radical having 1 to 6 C atoms, with at least one organometallic compound of the formula CuR, CuLiR2, MgXR, Zn R2, LiR, AlX2R, AlXR2, AlR3 or Al2Cl3R3, where R is as defined in formula (1) and X is Cl, Br or l, in the presence of an inert solvent at from âˆ’80 to +150Â° C., treating the reaction product in the presence of water in the absence or presence of an acid at from 0 to 250Â° C. and decarboxylating the resulting trifluoroisophthalic acid of the formula at from 80 to 280Â° C.