Patent GB-372013-A (GB)
Title: Manufacture of aldehydes and intermediate products
IPC: C07C45/58
Filed: 1931-03-03
Abstract: Substituted glycidic acid esters, of the formula <FORM:0372013/IV/1> where R1 is hydrogen or alkyl, R2 is a cyclic residue when R1 is hydrogen or any organic residue when R1 is alkyl, and X represents a saturated chain, are manufactured by condensing a halogen-acetic acid ester with a cyclic aldehyde or with a ketone in which the carbon atom of the oxo-group is bound to alkyl and to any organic residue or is a member of a saturated ring, by means of an alkali metal, an alkali metal amide or an alkali metal alcoholate, in a medium in which during the condensation process alkali metal halide does not separate on the condensing agent, viz. a liquid hydrocarbon or a liquid halogenated hydrocarbon.  The products are converted into substituted acetaldehydes by saponifying with an alkali, acidifying the solution and steam distilling.  In examples: (1) benzaldehyde is condensed with chloracetic acid ethyl ester by means of sodium in the presence of xylene yielding phenylglycidic acid ethyl ester, which is converted into phenylacetaldehyde; (2) 4-methoxybenzaldehyde is similarly treated; (3) 4-chlorobenzaldehyde is similarly converted into 4-chlorophenylglycidic acid ethyl ester and 4-chlorophenylacetaldehyde; (4) acetophenone is condensed with chloracetic acid ethyl ester by means of sodium amide in the presence of benzene or xylene, producing b -phenyl-b -methylglycidic acid ethyl ester, which is converted into 1-oxo-2-phenyl-2-methylethane (hydratropa aldehyde); (5) 2-oxo-6 : 10-dimethylundecane (hexahydropseudoionone) and chloracetic acid ethyl ester are condensed by means of sodium in xylene, yielding the corresponding glycidic ester, which is transformed into 1-oxo-2 : 6 : 10-trimethylundecane; (6) decahydro-2-oxonaphthalene (b -decalone) similarly yields the corresponding glycidic acid ester which is converted into decahydro-2-naphthaldehyde; (7) 1 : 1 : 3-trimethyl-2- (23 - oxobutyl)-cyclohexane (tetrahydroionone) is similarly condensed to produce the corresponding glycidic acid ester, which is converted into 1 : 1 : 3-trimethyl-2-(2<4> - oxo - 2<3> - methobutyl) - cyclohexane.  The properties are also given of the substituted glycidic acid esters and substituted acetaldehydes obtained from: 4-methyl- and 4-ethyl-benzaldehyde, 2 : 4-dimethylbenzaldehyde, 4-isopropylbenzaldehyde, 4-(1<1>-methopropyl)-benzaldehyde (obtainable by the action of carbon monoxide on 2-phenylbutane in the presence of aluminium chloride), 2 : 4-diisopropylbenzaldehyde, 5 : 6 : 7 : 8-tetrahydro-1-naphthaldehyde (obtainable by the action of carbon monoxide on tetrahydronaphthalene in the presence of aluminium chloride); 2-oxodecane (methyloctylketone), 2-oxoundecane (methylnonylketone), 2-oxo-2-(p-isopropylphenyl)-ethane (p-isopropylacetophenone), 2-oxo-2-(p-methoxyphenyl)-ethane (methyl - p - methoxyphenylketone), 2 - oxo - 4-phenylbutane, 2 - oxo- 4 - (p-isopropylphenyl)-butane, and 1 : 1 : 3-trimethyl-2-(2<3>-oxopentyl)-cyclohexane (obtainable by hydrogenating the corresponding a -methylionone).  Other starting materials specified are naphthaldehyde and furfural on the one hand and bromacetic acid esters on the other.  Specifications 21047/04, [Class 2, Acids and salts, Organic &c.], and 293,703, [Class 2 (iii), Dyes &c.], are referred to.