Patent ID: 7569719

Claim:
A process for the preparation of a reactive electron deficient olefin, steps of which comprise (a) providing an iminium salt prepared from an imine made as a reaction product of a primary amine and an aldehyde compound and a compound containing a methylene linkage having at least one electron withdrawing substituent attached thereto, wherein the electron withdrawing substituent is selected from the group consisting of nitrite, carboxylic acids, carboxylic esters, sulphonic acids, ketones and nitro; (b) reacting the iminium salt and the compound under appropriate conditions and for a time sufficient to yield a reactive electron deficient olefin and an ammonium salt; (c) separating the so formed reactive electron deficient olefin to yield the reactive electron deficient olefin; (d) contacting that which remains from step (c) with alkali to generate the primary amine; and (e) optionally separating the primary amine formed in step (d); and (f) optionally contacting the primary amine formed in step (d) with a carbonyl-containing compound under appropriate conditions and for a time sufficient to yield an imine; and (g) optionally contacting the imine formed in step (f) with an acid under appropriate conditions and for a time sufficient to yield an iminium salt.