Preparation of alkanesulfonamides

Abstract: A method for the preparation of alkanesulfonamides in high purity and high yield using dioxolane as solvent is disclosed. The final products have use as synthetic intermediates for the manufacture of useful final products.

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to alkanesulfonamides and more particularly to a novel process for their preparation. Synthetic methods for organosulfonamides in general and for alkanesulfonamides in particular are well known in the literature. Many of these involve treating the corresponding sulfonyl chloride with ammonia or a primary or secondary amine in the presence of various organic solvents. These prior art processes all provide an initially crude product which is contaminated with by-products and requires further purification before it can be used further. The present invention provides a method for the synthesis of alkanesulfonamides which provides a number of advantages over previously reported procedures. The present invention contemplates a direct synthesis of alkanesulfonamides from readily available starting materials. The sulfonamides recovered from the crude reaction mixture are sufficiently pure for use as synthetic intermediates without further treatment. European Patent application 0276182 describes the preparation of C₁-C₄ alkanesulfonamides using di- or mono- alkoxy alkane solvents. No equivalence to other solvents is suggested. United States Patent 3,300,529 describes a process for preparing N-alkyl and N,N-dialkyl-substituted ethylene- sulfonamides by simultaneous dehydrochlorination and amination of β-chloro-alkanesulfonylchlorides in any unreactive solvent. Included in the general list of suitable solvents are tetrahydrofuran and "ether solvents" in general. No particular advantage for any particular solvent in the reaction at issue is pointed out. The use of any of the solvents in the preparation of saturated alkanesulfonamides is not discussed. United States Patent 3,781,441 describes a process for making 4-chloro-3,5-dinitrobenzenesulfonamide from the corresponding sulfonyl chloride by reaction with ammonia in various solvents at temperatures below 10°C. Included among the list of suitable solvents are C₄⁻C₈ cyclic ethers. Tetrahydrofuran is specifically mentioned. Here the process of the patent is concerned with avoiding displacement of the aryl chlorine by ammonia. No particular advantage to the use of cyclic ethers such as tetrahydrofuran over any of the other listed solvents is stated. United States Patent 3,574,740 describes the preparation of methanesulfonamide and its derivatives by treating methanesulfonyl chloride in a C₁ to C₄ nitroalkane with ammonia or a primary or secondary amine. Substitution of other solvents is not suggested. As stated in this patent, the solubility of methanesulfonamide in nitroalkanes is highly temperature dependent, requiring that filtration to remove by-product be conducted at elevated temperature. In addition, processing in nitroalkanes produces discolored products. More complex processing is required by the necessity of conducting hot filtrations and removing undesired color from the product. Czechoslovakia Patent 235,626 describes treatment of methanesulfonyl chloride in solution in toluene with gaseous ammonia followed by crystallization of the methanesulfonamide product from a toluene/ethanol mixture after concentration. Ammonium chloride is soluble in the toluene/ethanol reaction mixture described in the patent to over 1% by weight concentration. The product must be isolated by crystallization from the concentrated reaction mixture to separate it from the ammonium chloride remaining in solution. This results in a drop in yield to about 90%. On a large scale, this small drop in yield can have significant economic consequences. No other solvents are suggested as equivalents or as alternatives. J. Am. Chem. Soc., Vol. 75, page 934 (1953), J. Am. Chem. Soc., Vol. 77, page 170 (1955), Monatsh., Vol. 89, page 285 (1958) as summarized in Chem Abstracts Vol. 53, Col. 1140i (1959) and J. Chem. Soc., Vol. 125, page 1463 (1924) all describe treatment of methanesulfonyl chloride in benzene with anhydrous ammonia to give the desired methanesulfonamide. No other solvents are suggested as suitable equivalents or alternatives. Zhur. Obschei Khim., Vol 18, page 729 (1948) as summarized in Chem. Abstracts Vol. 43, Col. 120f describes treatment of methanesulfonyl chloride in dry diethyl ether with anhydrous ammonia followed by evaporation of solvent and extraction of the residue with benzene to obtain the methanesulfonamide product. Once again, other solvents are not suggested as suitable equivalents or alternatives. Benzene is a known carcinogen and, while it can be handled industrially, its use complicates any process in which it is employed. United States Patent 4,970,339 claims the preparation of methanesulfonamide from methanesulfonyl chloride and ammonia by direct reaction in tetrahydrofuran followed by separation of ammonium chloride from the reaction mixture followed by recovery of product by evaporation of the tetrahydrofuran. C₄ and higher cyclic ethers are taught as suitable solvents and the reaction is said to be generally applicable to the alkanesulfonamides in general. None of the teachings of these prior art references suggest to one of skill in the art of organic chemistry that a limited class of alkanesulfonyl chloride may be dissolved in the solvent comprehended by the instant invention and treated with anhydrous ammonia or with a limited class of primary or secondary amines with the result that a substantially complete separation of ammonium chloride or amine hydrochloride is obtained from the desired alkanesulfonamide which may then be recovered in high purity and in extremely high yields (93% and greater) simply by evaporation of solvent. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention provides a process for the preparation of alkanesulfonamides having the formula: R-SO₂NR¹R² wherein R is selected from methyl or ethyl; and R₁ and R² may be the same or different and are selected from hydrogen or methyl which comprises treating an alkanesulfonyl halide having the formula: RSO₂X wherein R is as defined hereinabove and X is fluorine, chlorine, bromine or iodine with an effective amount of a compound of the formula: HNR¹R² wherein R¹ and R² are as defined hereinabove in the presence of dioxolane. Special mention is made of a process wherein, additionally, after treatment of the alkanesulfonyl halide is complete, excess compound of the formula HNR¹R² is removed from the treatment mixture. Special mention is also made of a process wherein the alkanesulfonyl halide is an alkanesulfonyl chloride. Special mention is also made of a process wherein the compound of the formula HNR¹R² is ammonia. Special mention is also made of a process wherein, additionally, the alkanesulfonamide product is recovered by separation of substantially all by-product ammonium chloride, or primary or secondary amine hydrochloride from the treatment mixture and subsequent removal of solvent. Special mention is also made of processes wherein the alkanesulfonyl chloride is methanesulfonyl chloride. The tangible embodiments produced by the processes of the invention are known materials which have utility as synthetic intermediates in the manufacture of agricultural chemicals and chemicals useful in the treatment of textiles and paper. The product compounds are crystalline, waxy materials or liquids whose identity is positively confirmed by physical constants such as melting points and nuclear magnetic resonance spectral analysis and whose purity is positively confirmed by a standard functional group analysis test for the sulfonamide group. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION According to the process of the invention, alkanesulfonamides may be prepared in batch, semi-continuous or continuous fashion. An alkanesulfonyl chloride, for example methanesulfonyl chloride may be contacted with an effective amount of ammonia or amine in dioxolane solution, conveniently at about atmospheric or super-atmospheric pressure. Cooling may be necessary to maintain the desired temperature because the reaction is normally exothermic. The reaction is normally rapid and is usually complete by the time the addition of reagents to the contact or treatment zone is completed. Preferably, excess ammonia or amine may then be vented from the reaction mixture and by-product ammonium chloride or amine hydrochloride which precipitates out of the reaction mixture may then be separated by standard means, such as filtration, or centrifugation. The alkanesulfonamide, for example methanesulfonamide, may be recovered conveniently by evaporation of the solvent from the organic phase to leave the product as a high purity residue. Depending on the temperature at the end of solvent evaporation, the alkanesulfonamide may be in solid or molten form or a liquid. If molten, it may be used directly in further processing without solidification or it may be fed to a conventional flaker or other known conventional solidification means to provide solid product. The product whether in molten, solid or liquid form is substantially pure when recovered. The methane and ethanesulfonyl chloride starting materials are commercially available, as are ammonia and mono- and dimethylamine. It will be obvious to one of skill in the art to select a purity grade of starting materials that will provide the desired degree of purity of the final product. The order of addition of reactants is not particularly critical for most reaction conditions, but it is preferred to add the lower alkanesulfonyl halide to a solution of ammonia or amine in the solvent to obtain the highest purity product. The rate of addition is also not especially critical, but, as the reaction is exothermic, it can conveniently be performed at a rate at which the available cooling capacity will be adequate to maintain the desired temperature. The reaction or treatment time is also not critical and normally the reaction will be complete after complete addition of all reactants in a batch reaction. In a continuous or semicontinuous reaction, one of skill in the art will be able to control the relative feed rate of the reactants into the treatment or contact zone and the rate of flow through and out of that zone so that the reaction is essentially complete in the treatment zone by employing standard monitoring techniques well known in the art. Although the process of the invention has been specifically illustrated herein by reference to alkanesulfonyl chlorides and to ammonia, one of skill in the art will recognize that other alkanesulfonyl halides such as alkanesulfonyl fluorides, bromides and iodides may be substituted for the specifically illustrated chlorides and will be full equivalents thereto and that methyl and dimethyl amines may be substituted for ammonia and will be full equivalents thereto. Although the process of the invention has been illustrated herein by the use of a reaction performed at about room temperature (about 20-25°C), the temperature range of the reaction is also not especially critical and can vary over a wide range from about -20°C to about 150°C. Preferably it may range from about 10°C to about 70°C. One of skill in the art will recognize that due to the volatility of dioxolane and more particularly of ammonia and of the primary and secondary amines, if the reaction is run in the higher portion of the suitable temperature range, it may be necessary to employ super-atmospheric pressure to avoid excessive losses of materials from the reaction or treatment zone. One of skill in the art will also understand that an effective amount of ammonia and of the primary and secondary amines to be employed in the treatment or reaction will be at least the two molar stoichiometric equivalent amount and will preferably be a slight excess over that amount. The exact amount of the excess is not critical. A 10% to 50% excess has been found sufficient but lesser amounts may be employed. Larger amounts may also be employed but provide no apparent advantage. Excess ammonia may of course be recovered from the final reaction mixture by known conventional means such as purging from the reaction mixture and compression and/or condensation back to a liquid. Removal of excess ammonia and of excess amines from the reaction mixture prior to separation of by-product ammonium chloride or amine hydrochloride is preferred because it has been found to provide more complete separation of ammonium chloride and of amine hydrochloride from the final product. If traces of ammonium chloride or amine hydrochloride are not objectionable in the final product, then it is unnecessary to remove excess ammonia or amine. Excess of volatile primary and secondary amines may be removed in a fashion similar to removal of excess ammonia. In the event such amines are insufficiently volatile, the excess may be treated with a stoichiometric equivalent of mineral acid such as hydrochloric acid. The resulting salt will, of course, be separable with the amine salt produced as a by-product of the original reaction. As used herein and in the appended claims, the term "alkanesulfonyl halide" contemplates a compound of the formula RSO₂X and the term "alkanesulfonamide" contemplates a compound of the formula RSO₂NR¹R² wherein X is fluorine, chlorine, bromine or iodine and wherein R, R¹ and R² are as defined hereinabove. The following examples further illustrate the best mode contemplated by the inventors for the practice of their invention. EXAMPLE DETERMINATION OF THE SOLUBILITY OF SULFONAMIDES AND AMINE SALTS IN VARIOUS SOLVENTS 10g of the selected solvent was placed into a 50 ml Erlenmeyer flask equipped with a magnetic stirring bar and rubber stopper. Then the alkanesulfonamide that was to be tested was added to the solvent, in increments of 0.1g, until the saturation point was reached. All solubility tests were conducted at room temperature. Following this procedure, the solubility of the various compounds tabulated in the solvents listed were as follows: Compound Solvent THF Diethyl Ether 2-Methyl THF 1,4-Dioxane 1,3 Dioxolane Amine Salts NH₄⁺Cl⁻ <0.1 <0.1 <0.1 <0.1 <0.1 (CH₃)₂NH₂⁺Cl⁻ <0.1 <0.1 - - - - <0.1 CH₃NH₃⁺Cl⁻ <0.1 <0.1 - - - - <0.1 CH₃CH₂NH₃⁺Cl⁻ <0.1 <0.1 - - - - - - ( n -C₄H9)₂NH₂⁺Cl⁻ <0.1 <0.1 - - - - - - n -C₄H₉NH₃⁺Cl⁻ <0.1 <0.1 - - - - - - This data clearly demonstrates the substantial lack of solubility of ammonium chloride and the various amine hydrochlorides in all solvents tested thereby permitting excellent separation of these salts from sulfonamides having significant solubility in those solvents. It also demonstrates the selectivity of solubility for the cyclic ether solvents compared with diethyl ether for methane and ethane sulfonamides having either no N substituents or 1 or 2 methyl N substituent(s). The equivalency of 1,3-dioxolane to the C₄ and higher cyclic ethers in the process has not been taught or suggested previously.

Claims: A process for the preparation of alkanesulfonamides having the formula: R-SO₂NR¹R² wherein R is selected from methyl or ethyl and R¹ and R² may be the same or different and are selected from hydrogen or methyl which consists essentially of treating an alkanesulfonyl halide having the formula: RSO₂X wherein R is as defined hereinabove and X is fluorine, chlorine, bromine or iodine with an effective amount of a compound of the formula: HNR¹R² wherein R¹ and R² are as defined hereinabove in the presence of dioxolane and recovering the alkanesulfonamide product by separation of by-product compound H₂N⁺R¹R²X⁻ and subsequent evaporation of dioxolane. A process as defined in claim 1 wherein the alkanesulfonyl halide is an alkanesulfonyl chloride. A process as defined in claim 1 wherein additionally after treatment of the alkanesulfonyl halide is complete, excess compound of the formula HNR¹R² is removed from the treatment mixture. A process as defined in claim 1 wherein the compound HNR¹R² is ammonia. A process as defined in claim 2 wherein the compound HNR¹R² is ammonia. A process as defined in claim 5 wherein additionally after treatment of the alkanesulfonyl chloride with ammonia is complete, unreacted excess ammonia is removed from the treatment mixture. A process as defined in claim 1 wherein the by-product compound H₂N⁺R¹R²X⁻ is ammonium chloride. The process of claim 1 wherein the lower alkanesulfonyl halide is methanesulfonyl chloride. The process of claim 3 wherein the lower alkanesulfonyl halide is methanesulfonyl chloride. A process as defined in claim 1 which is run as a batch process. A process as defined in claim 1 which is run as a semi-continuous process. A process as defined in claim 1 which is run as a continuous process. A process as defined in claim 1 wherein the alkanesulfonamide is recovered in the molten state after substantially all solvent is evaporated. A process as defined in claim 7 wherein substantially pure ammonium chloride is recovered substantially quantitatively from the treatment mixture. A process as defined in claim 8 wherein the compound HNR¹R² is ammonia and the alkanesulfonamide prepared is methanesulfonamide. A process as defined in claim 15 wherein additionally after treatment of the alkanesulfonyl chloride is complete, unreacted excess ammonia is removed from the reaction mixture. A process as defined in claim 16 wherein additionally the methanesulfonamide product is recovered by separation of by-product ammonium chloride and subsequent evaporation of dioxolane. A process as defined in claim 1 wherein the alkanesulfonamide product is N-methyl-methanesulfonamide. A process as defined in claim 1 wherein the alkanesulfonamide product is N, N-dimethylmethanesulfonamide. A process as defined in claim 1 wherein the alkanesulfonamide product is ethanesulfonamide. A process as defined in claim 1 wherein the alkanesulfonamide product is N-methyl-ethanesulfonamide. A process as defined in claim 1 wherein the alkanesulfonamide product is N,N-dimethylethanesulfonamide.

Inventors: KENNOY JOHN F, PERILLI JAMES S, SANDLER STANLEY R, KENNOY, JOHN F., PERILLI, JAMES S., SANDLER, STANLEY R.
Applicants: ATOCHEM NORTH AMERICA ELF, ELF ATOCHEM NORTH AMERICA, INC. ELF ATOCHEM NORTH AMERICA, INC.
Application year: 1992
Main classification: C07C303
IPC codes: C07C311, C07C303