IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PRODUCTION OF HALOCYCLOPROPYL-SUBSTITUTED PHENOXYALKANOIC ACIDS AND ESTERS

Abstract: A process is provided for production of an alkyl 2-[para-­ (2-2-dihalocyclopropyl)phenoxy]-2-lower alkyl propionate which comprises treating an alkyl 2-[4-(1-hydroxyethyl)­ phenoxy]-2-lower alkyl propanoate (IV) with a phosphorus halide and then with an organic base to produce the corresponding substituted styrene and then treating said styrene with a haloform, a strong alkali and a phase transfer catalyst. This process has given overall yields ten-fold greater than those described in the literature.

Description: "IMPKOVEMENTS IN THE PRODUCTION OF HALOCYCLOPROPYL SUBSTITUTED PHENOXYALKANOIC ACIDS AND ESTERS" This invention relates to the production of halocyclopropyl-substituted phenoyyalkanoic acids and esters thereof. In British Patent Specification No. 1 385 828 there are described a number of halocyclopropyl-substituted phenoxyalkanoic acids as well as their esters. Amongst these are a number of such acids in which the halocyclopropyl ring is directly connected to the phenoxy ring and the alkanoic moiety of the structure contains a minimum of four carbon atoms. Acids of this type have been found to be of pharmacological interest as they possess hypocholesteremic and hypotriglyceridemic activity and are therefore of interest in the treatment of atherosclerotic conditions associated with elevated serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels. One method of preparation described in British Patent No. 1 385 828 involves the preliminary preparation of the p-(2,2-dihalocyclopropyl) phenols: these materials are of limited availability and are relatively expensive. It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide an improved method of preparation of such acids and their esters from readily available starting materials. Instead of first producing a p-(2,2-dihalocyclopropyl)-phenol another method for obtaining certain of the compounds was also proposed by condensing a 2-phenoxy propionate and a haloacetyl chloride in the presence of aluminium chloride or other Lewis acid catalyst to produce a ketophenoxy ester followed by reduction to the corresponding carbinol. The carbinol was then dehydrated using a dehydrating agent in an inert solvent, the latter acting as an entraining agent whilst heating to produce a styrene which has then been reacted with carbene or a substituted carbene generated in situ. The introcuction of the cyclopropyl group as the last stage of the process is considered preferable but the process has nevertheless suffered from the drawback of giving alowoverall yield as well as rather difficult reaction conditions. Alternativemhods have therefore been sought and have resulted in the ultimate discovery of a procedure which gives a greater than ten-fold increase in the yield obtained. The acids and esters to which the present invention relates have the general formula EMI3.1 in which each Hal represents a halogen atom, each of RÚ and Rê represents an alkyl group having at least one but not more than three carbon atoms and X represents hydrogen or lower alkyl. In the present procedure the acids (I) are produced by hydrolysis of the corresponding esters. According to the present invention there is provided a process for the production of an alkyl ester having the general formula EMI3.2 in which each Hal is a halogen atom, preferably chlorine, and R is a group having the general formula EMI4.1 in which Alk represents an alkyl group having one to five carbon atoms and each of R1 and R2 is an alkyl group having one to three carbon atoms, preferably a methyl group, which comprises treating an alkyl ester having the general formula EMI4.2 in which R is as above defined in an inert solvent with a phosphorus halide and then with an OrSanic base sv as a trialkylamine, to produce a substituted styrene having the general formula EMI4.3 in which R is as above defined removing hydrohalide of the base used fxom the reaction mixture and then treating the resulting substituted styrene with a haloform, preferably chloroform, strong alkali, and a phase transfer catalyst, preferably benzyl triethyl ammonium chloride. It will be understood that there is thus obtained a product having the -0-Alk group. When it is desired to obtain the corresponding free acid such ester is sapon- ified with an alkali metal hydroxide and the resulting solution, normally an aqueous solution is acidified with a strong acid. To obtain the alkyl esters of the general formula (IV), esters having the general formula EMI5.1 are reduced by the gradual addition thereto of an alkali metal borohydride, preferably sodium borohydride, in a lower alkanol, preferably ethanol. Other reducing agents such as hydrogen in the presence of palladium on charcoal ray also be used. It will be apparent that the group R having the general formula (III) may be a 2-methylpropanoic, a 2-ethylpropanoic or a 2-ethylbutanoic group. Compounds having the general formula (VI) may be synthesised from the readily available para-hydroxyacetophenone by reaction with dialkyl ketones having not more than 7 carbon atoms and corresponding to the formula RÚCORê, in which R1 Rê and R above defined, 2 presence of a haloform and a solution of one or more alkali metal hydroxides. This gives a carboxylic acid which may then be esterified with an alkanol such as ethanol. In this way there may, for example, be prepared 2-(4'-acetylphenoxy)-2-methyl- and 2-ethyl-propanoic acids and these may then be esterified with methanol or ethanol in conventional manner. The esters having the general formula (VI) are reduced to the corresponding secondary alcohols (IV) by reduction of the acetyl group. This may be effected by the action of an alkali metal borohydride on a solution of the ester dissolved in a lower alkanol and isolation of the alcohol from the resulting solution by taking advantage of its solubility in the organic phase of a toluene-brine mixture, or by another reducing agent such as hydrogen in the presence of palladium on charcoal. In this way the compounds having the general formula (IV) are obtainable. The compounds having the general formula (IV) are then treated in a dry solvent with a phosphorus halide, preferably phosphorus tribromide, at room temperatures or below. When the reaction which occurs is substantially complete the product is treated with an organic base such as trialkylamine in order to remove the elements of hydrogen halide from the product. The resulting ethenyl compound (V) can be isolated from the solution obtained, but, preferably, are directly used in the next stage of the process. In the next stage of the process the compounds having the general formula (V) are reacted with a haloform, which is conveniently chloroform, in the presence of an aqueous alkali metal hydroxide. This reaction is effected in the presence of a phase transfer catalyst. The haloform used may conveniently be present in substantial excess as the solvent for the compound having the general formula (V). The solvent is conveniently removed under reduced pressure after completion of the reaction and the resulting ester containing a 2,2-dihalocyclopropyl group can then be distilled under low pressure. With or without such distillation the ester may then be saponified using a solution of an alkali metal hydroxide in a lower alkanol and the resulting solution acidified, the acid separated and purified. The appended example illustrates the preparation of 2-[4-(21,2l-dichlorocyclopropyl) phenoxy) -2-methyl propanoic acid by the process of the invention. Ethyl 2-(4 -Ethenylphenoxy)-2-methylpropanoate Ethyl 2- ±4- (l-Hydroxyethyl )phenoxyl -2-methylpropanoate (100g) was dissolved in dry chloroform (200 mls) - dimethylformamide (2.5 mls) was then added. The solution was cooled to OOC and a solution of phosphorus tribromide (15 mls) in dry chloroform (40 mls) was added. After stirring for 1 hour at 0-50C followed by 1 hour at 300C - triethylamine (70g) was added maintaining the temperature below 300C. After refluxing for a total of 18 hours - the chloroform solution was washed with water and twice with dilute HC1 to remove the triethylamine hydrochloride formed. The chloroform solution of the ester can be processed directly in the next stage. However, if desired, the chloroform can be evaporated to give the crude styrene as an oil which can be purified by high vacuum distillation (bp 1200C/0.5mm). Ethyl 2-[4-(2t,2tDichlorocyclopropyl)phenoxy]-2-methyl -2-methyl Propanoate Ethyl 2-(4-ethenylphenoxy)-2-methylpropanoate (75g) obtained as described above in chloroform (160 ml containing benzyl triethyl ammonium chloride phase transcatalyst was reacted with a solution cf 50% sodium bydrox- ide at 40"C for five hours. The solution was cooled, diluted with water and separated. The chloroform solution was evaporated under reduced pressure to give thc- product as as 2 dark oil. The crude ester can be purified by high vacuum distillation and has bp 160-1700C/0.5 mm. 2-[4-(2t,2t-Dichlorocyclopropyl)phenox) propanoic acid 150g of distilled ethyl-2-[4 -(21,21-Dichlcrocyclopropyl)- phenoxi-2-methyl propanoate prepared as described above was added to methanol (550 mis) containing sodiur hydroxide (25.lg); the resulting solution was heated for 2 hours at 50-550C. The methanol was evaporated under reduced pressure and the residue dissolved in water and extracted with hexane. The aqueous layer was acidified to pH 1 with concentrated HC1. The product was isolated by filtration and washed thoroughly with water. Yield = 123.lg (90%) - mp 113-1170C. The crude acid, from the above procedure, was further purified by recrystallisation from aqueous alcohol to give the pure acid mp 116-1180C. The starting material used in the above procedure may be prepared in the following manner: Ethyl .2-E4- (1- Hydroxyethyl)phenoxyl -2-methylpropanoate Ethyl 2-(4-Acetylphenoxy)-2-methylpropanoate (100g) was dissolved in ethanol (450 ml) and cooled to OOC; sodium borohydride (7.5g) was added over 1 hour at 0-50C. The solution was stirred for 1 hour at 0-50C and then for 1 hour at room temperature. Glacial acetic acid (14.3 mls) was then added over 1 hour and the solution stirred a further hour. The bulk of the ethanol was then removed under reduced pressure and the residue partitioned between toluene and water. The toluene layer was washed with water (x2) and saturated brine and the solvent removed under reduced pressure to leave the product as an oil. Yield = 90.7g (90%). The temperatures used in the above process all lie within the range of O to 60 C thus demonstrating that neither low or high temperatures have to be used. This is an important feature since it minimises the energy consumed, avoids the use of complicated and expensive equipment and thus makes the process an economic one. Another important feature of the new process in its preferred form is the passage of the styrene produced by dehydrohalogenation direct to the step in which dihalocarbene is added on to the ethylenic linkage without intermediate isolation of the styrene. Yet another ir.portant feature is the use of a phase transfer catalyst in the dihalocarbene addition step. The styrene is obtainable in high yields by the present procedure and has little opportunity to polymerise under its conditions of formation and use. The yield in the above procedure, calculated on the basis of para-hydroxyacetone as the effective starting material, is 37 overall whereas that in the known process starting from dichlorocarbostyrene is 3.5%. This represents an improvement of over 1000%. In addition separation of isomers which has to be carried out in the known process is avoided and problems arising from the disposal of effluents containing heavy metals is also entirely avoided.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A process for the production of an alkyl ester of a 2-(par-substituted phenox.yl)-2-alkylpropionic acid having the general formula EMI10.1 in which each Hal is a halogen atom, preferably chlorine, and R is a group having the general formula EMI10.2 in which Alk is an alkyl group having one to Drive carbon atoms and each of R1 and R2 is an alkyl group having one to three carbon atoms, preferably a methyl group, said process being characterised in that it comprises the steps of (a) treating an alkyl ester having the general formula EMI10.3 in which R is as defined above, in an inert solvent with a phosphorus halide to replace the -OH group by a halogen atom, (b) treating the thus produced compound containing a halogen atom with a organic base such as a tri alkyl arri ne to produce a substituted styrene having the general formula EMI11.1 in which R is as above defined, then removing the hydrohalide of the organic base concomitantly formed and (c) treating the substituted styrene with a haloform, preferably chloroform, strong alkali and a phase transfer catalyst, preferably benzyl triethyl ammonium chloride. 2. A process for the production of a 2-(para substituted-phenoxyl)-2-alkylpropionic acid characterised in that it comprises producing an alkyl ester cf such acid by the process claimed in claim 1, saponifying such ester with an alkali metal hydroxide and acidifying the saponification product with a strong acid. 3. A process as claimed in either of claims 1 or 2 further characterised in that the phosphorus halide used is phosphorus tribromide.

Inventors: PEEL, RICHARD, THORPE, JOHN GRAHAM
Applicants: STERWIN AG.
Application year: 1984
Main classification: C07C69
IPC codes: C07C51, C07C59