Patent ID: 7531672

Claim:
A process for preparing heterocyclic ketones of the formulae (I) or (Ia) by reacting a heterocyclic compound of the formula (II) with an α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acid of the formula (III) or with its anhydride of the formula (IV) which comprises performing the reaction in a liquid reaction medium which comprises at least one strong organic acid and at least one water absorbent, where the strong organic acid has a higher acid strength than the carboxylic acid of the formula (III) by adding simultaneously the heterocyclic compound of the formula (II) together with the α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acid of the formula (III) or together with its anhydride of the formula (IV) to said liquid reaction medium, and wherein the reaction is carried out in the temperature range from 60 to 90° C., and where R 1 is hydrogen or a C 1 -C 40 -alkyl radical, a C 1 -C 10 -fluoroalkyl radical, a C 1 -C 12 -alkoxy radical, a C 6 -C 40 -aryl radical, a C 2 -C 40 heteroaromatic radical, a C 6 -C 10 -fluoroaryl radical, a C 6 C 10 -aryloxy radical, a C 3 -C 18 -trialkylsilyl radical, a C 2 -C 20 -alkenyl radical, a C 2 -C 20 -alkynyl radical, a C 7 -C 40 -arylalkyl radical or a C 8 -C 40 -arylalkenyl radical, R 2 is hydrogen or a C 1 -C 40 -alkyl radical, a C 1 -C 10 -fluoroalkyl radical, a C 1 -C 12 -alkoxy radical, a C 6 -C 40 -aryl radical, a C 2 -C 40 heteroaromatic radical, a C 6 -C 10 -fluoroaryl radical, a C 6 -C 10 -aryloxy radical, a C 3 -C 18 -trialkylsilyl radical, a C 2 -C 20 -alkenyl radical, a C 2 -C 20 -alkynyl radical, a C 7 -C 40 -arylalkyl radical or a C 8 -C 40 -arylalkenyl radical, or R 1 and R 2 together form a cyclic ring system, R 3 is a C 1 -C 40 -alkyl radical, a C 1 -C 10 -fluoroalkyl radical, a C 6 -C 40 -aryl radical, a C 2 -C 40 heteroaromatic radical, a C 6 -C 10 -fluoroaryl radical, a C 7 -C 40 -arylalkyl radical or a C 3 -C 18 -trialkylsilyl radical, and X is an element of the 16th group of the Periodic Table or is a divalent nitrogen group —(N—R 4 )—, where R 4 is an electron-withdrawing radical which is selected from the group consisting of perhalogenated C 1 -C 40 carbon-containing radicals and C 1 -C 40 organosulfonyl groups.