PROCESS FOR THE PREPARATION OF N-ARYLHALOPYRROLIDONES

Abstract: Production of N-arylhalopyrrolidones by intramolecular cyclization of an α-halogen-N-2-alkenylamide is conducted in the presence of a copper-containing catalyst and a primary or secondary aliphatic amine.

Description: PROCESS FOR THE PREPARATION OF N-ARY1}UUJ > YRROLIDONES Backqround of the Invention Certain N-arylhalopyrrolidones are known to be useful as herbicides of qeneral application. Such compounds and their utility are disclosed in, for instance, U.S. Patent 4,110,105 of Euqene G. Teach. one process for their production is disclosed in U.S. Patent 4,110,105 and additionally U.S. Patent 4,210,589, which is a division of the former. According to these references, the compounds are prepared by the intramolecular cyclization of an X -halogen-containinq N-2-alkenylamide in the presence of a catalytic amount of ferrous iron. Mother U.S. patent, No. 4,132,713, of Michael D. Broadhurst, discloses an improved method of producinq such compounds utilizing catalysts other than ferrous iron. In particular, the catalyst of U.S. Patent 4,132,713 contains one or more of the transition metals vanadium, molyb- dens, ruthenium, silver, and copper. The metal-containinq compounds may be present in a number of forms, including complexes with common comolex- ins aqents such as triphenylphosphine, carbon monoxide, and tertiary amines. Examples of tertiary amines disclosed to be useful in that process are pyridine, 2,2'dipyridyi, 2,2'dipyridylamine, and tetramethylenediamine. The last-mentioned compound, however, is actually a bifunctional primary amine, havinq the formula H2N(CH2)4NH2. Among the copper-containinq compounds specifically disclosed in that patent are cuprous chloride and cupric oxide. When using copper-containing catalysts with tertiary amine cok plexing agents, the process may be conducted at a temperature of from about 60 C. to about 200 C., preferably from about 80 C. to about 1500C. Table II of U.S. Patent 4,132,713 shows the results for production of the compound 3-chloro-4-chloromethyl-1-(m-trifluoromethylphenyl)-2-pyrroli- done, EMI2.1 utilizing cupric oxide and cuprous chloride variously complexed with several tertiary amines. The process was conducted at times ranqing from 2.5 to 11 hours with yields ranging up to 65% of theoretical. A larqer scale preparation of the product is described in Example 14 of the patent. Other examples show production of related compounds by this technique. Summary of the Invention It has now been found that an improvement with respect to the prccess generally described in U.S. Patent 4,132,713 may be obtained by conductinq the reaction in the presence of a catalyst comprising a copper compound together with an amine selected from the group oonsistinq of: (a) primary amines having the formula PNH2, in Which R is a straight- or br2nched-chain alkyl group having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms, optionally substituted hy hydroxy; or (b) secondary amines having the formula R1NER2, in which R1 and R2 are independently straiqht- or branched-chain al'syl groups havinq from 7 to 20 carbon atoms, optionally substi tuted by hydroxy, exclusive of branched-chain alkyl qroups having the branching at the alpha-carbon atom. Detailed Description of the Invention The N-2-alkenyl- i -haloamide which is used as a starting material in the process of the present invention may be prepared by any con- ventional technique knows in the art. Several techniques are provided in U.S. Patent 4,132,713. The N-arylhalopyrrolidbnes produced according to the present invention have the general formula EMI2.2 X is selected from the qroup consistinq of hydrogen, chlorine, bromine and fluorine; Y is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, chlorine, bromine and fluorine; Z is selected from the group consistinq of chlorine and bromine; R1 is selected from the qroup consistinq of hydrogen and C14 alkyl; ; R2 is selected from the group consistinq of hydrogen, C1-C4 alkyl, acetyl, chlorine, bromine, fluorine, iodine, trifluoromethyl, nitro, cyano, C14 alkoxy, C14 alkylthio, C14 alkylsulfinyl, C1-C4 alkylsulfonyl, trifluoromethylthio, trifluoromethylsulfinyl, trifluoromethylsulfonyl, pentafluoropropionamido, and 3-methyl ure ido; and R3 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C14 alkyl, chlorine, and trifluoromethyl. A class of preferred products are those in which R3 is trifluoromethyl and R2 is hydrogen or fluoro. One preferred product is 3chloro-4-chloromethyl-1- (m-trifluoramethylphenyl) -2-pyrrolidone (X = chloro, Y = hydrogen, Z = chloro, R1 = hydrogen, R2 = hydrogen, R3 = 3-trifluoromethyl). The cyclization of the N-2-alkensl-iv haloamide is conducted in the presence of a catalyst comprising a copper compound. The copper come pound is preferably cuprous chloride, cupric chloride or cupric oxide, with cuprous chloride being most preferred. The catalyst can either be present as an undissolved solid in the reaction mixture, or as a solute in solution with the starting amide or solvent, when a solvent is used. In general, the catalyst is preferably dissolved. The reaction will proceed without aqitation, whether the catalyst is undissolved or in solution. However, when aqitation is used, the progress of the reaction will be siqnificantly enhanced. Aqitation may be achieved by any conventional means, for instance stirrinq, inert gas purqinq, the use of baffles in the reaction vessel, or conducting the reaction at reflux. The quantity of copper-oontaininq catalyst which will constitute a catalytic amount will he that quantity which serves to increase the rate of reaction. large quantities will provide a greater increase. The quantity used in any particular application will be determined in large part by the individual needs of the manufacturing facility. Aside from considerations such as cost, the desired reaction time and system capac ity, the catalyst quantity is not a critical feature in the invention and may vary over a wide range. ?bst conveniently, an amount of catalyst is used which comprises fron about 0.1 to about 20.0 mole percent, based on the initial quantity of the N-2-alkenylamide. Preferred quantities of catalyst are: for cuprous or cupric chloride - from about 1 to about 10 mole percent; for cupric oxide from about 1 to about 5 mole percent. The amines which have been found useful in the improved process of this invention are certain primary and secondary aliphatic amines. The primary anines are of the type RNH2, in Which R is a straight- or branched-chain alkyl group having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms, optionally substituted by hydroxy. Such amines would include, for instance, ethylamine, propylanines, various butylanines, and amines containing higher alkyl groups. One example of a hydroxy-substituted alkyl amine is 6-hydrx °wexylamine. The secondary amines are of the the R1NHR2, in which R1 and R2 are alkyl groups having fran 1 to 20 carbon atoms, preferably from 1 to 12 carbon atoms. Ihese alkyl groups may be straiqht- or branched-chain grotrps, optionally substituted by hydroxy, with the proviso that if branched-chained, the branching is other than at the alpha-carbon atom. Secondary amines containing alpha-branched alkyl qroups, such as isopropyl, sec-butyl, and the like, do not provide advantageous results in this process. The alkyl groups R1 and R2 may be the same or different; preferably they are the sam. A preferred class of secondary amines are those in which R1 and R2 are identical straight-chain alkyl groups having from 1 to 12 carbon atoms. Preferred members of this class are di(nbutyl) and di-(n-propyl) amines. If desired, a variety of solvents may be used in the reaction. Such solvents may include aliphatic compounds such as heptane or octane, alcohols such as tertiary butyl alcohol, and aromatic compounds such as toluene or xylene. Preferred solvents are toluene and tertiary butyl alcohol. Other inert solvents such as those mentioned in U.S. Patent 4,132,713 may be employed if desired. The amount of amine used may vary widely according to the costs and effect desired. In general, the amine is utilized in an amount of from about 5 to about 60 mole percent, based on the startinq N-2-alkenyl g -haloamide, and preferably from about 10 to about 40 mole percent. The temperature at which the process is conducted is qenerally from about 500C. to about 1500C. Preferred operating ranqes will vary, dependinq on the nature of the coFper-containing catalyst, the amine, the solvent (if any), and the concentration of the X -haloamide in the subs- trate. Generally, cuprous chloride and lower molecular weight amines containing up to eight carbon atoms per alkyl qroup perform best at temperatures of from about 60 to about 90"C. As the reaction occurs in the liquid phase, the operatinq pressure is not a significant parameter, and may range widely, depending on convenience, economy and materials of construction. It is most convenient to conduct the reaction at or near ambient pressure. If the reaction is conducted in the presence of a solvent, under reflux or at or near atmospheric pressure, the temperature may be the normal reflux temperature of the solvent, or may be lower. Temperatures of about 85"C. have been fourd advantaqeous for solvents such as toluene and tertiary butyl alcohol. The concentration of X -haloamide in the solvent may vary. However, as the concentration is increased from about 20 weiqht % to about 60 weight %, selectivity and yield of the reaction qenerally decrease, with the production of less desired products and greater amounts of "tars. This is particularly true for higher molecular weiqht amines and cupric oxide catalysts. For good results, therefore, the concentration of the snide in the solvent should be at a maximum of about 65 weiqht %, most preferably about 40 weight %. The order of addition of materials is not a sianificant parameter. However, it is preferable to prefix the cooper catalyst and anne, and then add the 4aloamide, as this can produce a small improvement in yield. A preferred set of parameters for carryinq out this process are: cooper catalyst : 3-8 mole % amine : 20-40 mole % solvent : toluene temperature : 75-95 C. amide concentration in solvent : 15-30% The prrrolidor' produced by the reaction can be recovered fran the reaction mixture by any conventional technique, such as solvent extraction, crystallization, sublimation, or distillation. As compared with the copper/tertiary amine complexes described in U.S. Patent 4,132,713, the use of a copper catalyst with a primary or secondary aliphatic amine of the type described herein results in the production of a qreater yield of the desired compound, with a corresponding decrease in the production of non-volatile by-products ("tars"), and qenerally a decrease in the necessary reaction time. The following examples illustrate the conduct of the process, with respect to the production of the compound 3-chloro-4-chloronethyl-1- (m-trifluoromethylphenyl)-2-pyrrolidone. EXAMPLE 1 In a flask were mixed 200 grams (g.) (0.567 mole) N-allyl-3'trifluoromethyl-2,2-dichloroacetanilide, 2.79 q. (0.028 mole) cuprous chloride, 28.5 milliliters (ml.) (0.169 mole) di-(n-butyl)amine, and 891 ml. toluene. The mixture was heated to a temperature of 85-90"C, and stirred for 2 hours and 25 minutes. At the end of this tine, a sample of the reaction mixture was analyzed by qas chromatography and showed 95.0 area percent of the desired product. The reaction mixture was washed three tines with 125 ml of 3.0 M hydrochloric acid. Next, the mixture was phase separated and stripped with an aspirator for one hour at 40"C and under hiqh vacuum for one hour at 55 C, giving a crude yield of 192.82 q. Analysis by gas chrcmatography showed a purity of 86.8%, corresponding to a corrected yield of 94.5% of the desired product. Distillation of a sarrple showed that the product contained 5.8 weight % non-volatile tars. The structure of the desired product was confirmed by mass spectroscopy. Comparison Example 1 This example illustrates the conduct of the process utilizing a cupric oxide/pyridine catalyst as in U.S. Patent 4,132,713. In a flask there were mixed 200 q. (0.586 mole) N-allyl-3'-tri- fluoronethyl-2,2-dichl6roacetanilide, 8.25 g. (0.058 mole) cupric oxide, 18.7 ml. (0.023 mole) pyridine, and 135 ml. toluene. The mixture was heated to reflux at 11 50C. and stirred for a total of one hour, 20 minutes. The mixture was filtered, then washed three times with 100 ml of 3. OM hydrochloric acid. Next, the mixture was phase separated and stripped first with an aspirator, then under high vacuum for one hour at 55"C to qive a crude yield of 186.80 g. By gas chromatography, the reaction product was shown to be 80.0% pure, which corresponds to a corrected yield of 81.7% of the desired product. The product contained 14.8 weight % tars, as determined by distillation. The structure of the desired product was confirmed by mass spectroscopy EXAMPLE 2 In a flask were mixed 0.157 q. (0.00158 mole) cuprous chloride, 1.6 ml. (0.0091 mole) di-(n-butyl)amine, and 40 ml. toluene. The mixture was stirred to dissolve the cuprous chloride. Then, 11.22 q. (0.0334 mole) of the acetanilide utilized in Example 1 was added, together with an additional 10 ml. toluene. The resultinq mixture was heated to 85-95 C. and stirred for 1.5 hours. At the end of this time the mixture was cooled, washed with 3M hydrochloric acid and stripped under vacuum, to produce 11.81 g. of an oranqe oil, which was analyzed by mass spectroscopy and shown to be the desired pyrrolidone product. Gas chromatoqraphic analysis of the Product showed it to be 85.4% pure, which corresponds to a corrected yield of 96.78. Distillation of a portion of the product showed it to contain 3.1% by weight of "tars". EXANELES 3-12 The following examples represent conduct of the process accord- ing to this invention with other primary and secondary alkyl gamines. These examples were all carried out by the following procedure. The same acetanilide as in Examples 1 and 2 was mixed with 5 mole percent cuprous chloride and 28 mole percent of the indicated amine, utilizing tertiary butyl alcohol or toluene as the solvent. Reactions were carried out at approximately 85 C., or about 115"C when indicated, for the indicated time. Concentration of the acetanilide in the solvent was about 20-21 weight % except where indicated. The reaction mixture was washed with dilute aqueous hydrochloric acid, the solvent removed and the products distilled. The reaction products were analyzed for percent by weight of the desired pyrrolidone, and of nonvolatile side products ("tars"). Results of these experiments are shown in the following Table I. TABLE I Example Pyrrolidone No. Amine Time, min. Yield, %* tar, wt. % 3 HO(CH2)6NH2 60 86.7 5.4 4 i-C4H9SH2 120 84.5 4.4 5 sec.-C4HgNH2 120 88.2 4.4 6 (n-C3H7)2NH** 120 90.3 5.7 7 (n-C3H7)2NH 85 88.6 5.2 8 (n-C4H9)2NH** 17Q 91.3 6.2 9 (n-C4Hg)2NH 60 90.E 7.6 10 (n-C12)2NH 100 88.7 7.6 11 (n-C12)2NH*** 30 82.1 20.6 12 (n-C18)2NH 75 89.3 24.2 13 (C2H5)2NH 60 84.8 4.2 14 (i-C4H9)2NH 150 93.3 3.6 * Corrected for unreacted starting material, if any. ** Toluene used as solvent. *** Toluene used as solvent, temperature = 115 C, acetanilide concentra tion in solvent 61 weiqht %. Camparison Example 2 The process was carried out as described for Examples 3-12 above with tertiary butyl alcohol, and cuDrous chloride, at 85 C., but using pyridine as the amine rather than a primary or secondary amine. Results obtained were as follows: Pyrrolidone yield (corrected for unreacted starting material) 89.0 wt. % Tars (corrected for unreacted starting material) 6.5 wt. % Time for Reaction 320 min. Thus, when using pyridine, a tertiary amine described in U.S. Patent 4,132,713, with the same amount of cuprous chloride as in Examples 3-14, completion of the reaction to achieve comparable yields required nearly 2.5 times as lonq as with the primary and secondary amines. E9NDZLES 15-18 These examples demonstrate the conduct of the process utilizing cupric chloride in ocobination with lower and hiqher molecular weiqht amines. The process was carried out as above; experiments utilizing tertiary butyl alcohol as the solvent were conducted at 85 C., with an acetanilide concentration of 21 weiqht %, those utilizing toluene as the solvent were conducted at 115 C., with an acetanilide concentration of 61 weight %. Results are sunmarized in the following Table II. TABLE II Example Pyrrolidone No. Amine Solvent Time, min. Yield, %* tar, wt. % 15 (nC4H9)2NH t-butanol 135 92.1 5.9 16 (n-C12H2272SH t-butanol 110 84.4 15.7 17 (n-C4Hg)2NH toluene 60 85.5 12.1 18 (n-C12H22)2NH toluene 60 74.4 21.0 * Corrected for unreacted startinq materials, if any. The foregoing examples are merely intended to illustrate the conduct of the present process, and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention, except as defined in the following claims.

Claims: WST IS CLAIMED IS: 1. In a process for the preparation of N-arylhalopyrrolidones having the formula EMI11.1 in which X is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, chlorine, bromine and fluorine; Y is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, chlorine, bromine and fluorine; Z is selected from the group consisting of chlorine and bromine; R1 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and C1 4 alkyl; ; R2 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C1-C4 alkyl, acetyl, chlorine, bromine, fluorine, iodine, tri fluoromethyl, nitro, cyano, C1-C4 alkoxy, C14 alkylthio, C1 -C4 alkylsulfinyl, C1 -C4 alkylsulfonyl, trifluoromethyl- thio, trifluoranethylsulfinyl, tri fluoromethylsul fonyl, penta fluoropropionamido, and 3-methylureido; ; and R3 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C1-C4 alkyl, chlorine, and trifluoranethyl, by internal cyclization of the corresponding N-2-alkenyl- i-haloamide in the presence of a copper-containing catalyst, the improvement comprising conducting the internal cyclization at a temperature of from about 50 to about 150 0C in the presence of an amine selected fran the group consisting of: (a) primary amines having the formula RNH2, in Which R is a straight- or branched-chain alkyl group having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms, optionally substituted by hydroxy; and (b) secondary amines having the formula R1NHR2, in which R1 and R2 are independently straight- or branched-chain alkyl groups having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms, optionally substituted by hydroxy, exclusive of branched-chain alkyl groups havinq the branching at the alpha-carbon atom. 2. A process according to Claim 1 in which the copper catalyst comprises cuprous chloride. 3. A process according to Claims 1 or 2 in which the temperature is from about 70 C. to about 90 C. 4. A process according to Claim 1 in which the copper catalyst comprises cupric oxide. 5. A process according to Claim 1 in which the copper catalyst comprises cupric chloride. 6. A process according to any of Claims 1-5 in which the anine is di(-n-butyl) amine. 7. A process according to any of Claims 1-5 in which the amine is di(n-propyl) amine. 8. A process according to any of Claims 1-7 in which the copper catalyst is utilized in an amount of from about 2.5 to about 5 mole percent based on the 9C-haloamide. 9. A process according to any of Claims 1-8 in which the time required to complete the reaction is Prom about 30 to about 180 minutes. 10. A process according to any of Claims 1-9 in which X is chloro, Y is hydrogen, Z is chloro, R1 is hydrogen, R2 is hydrogen and R3 is trifluoranethyl.

Inventors: BROADHURST, MICHAEL DAVID, GLESS, RICHARD DOUGLAS, JR.
Applicants: STAUFFER CHEMICAL COMPANY
Application year: 1984
Main classification: C07D207
IPC codes: C07B61, B01J23, C07D207