Abstract:
A cyclopropanecarboxylate of the formula:
WHEREIN R1 is methyl, R2 is lower alkoxymethyl, lower alkenoxymethyl, lower alkynoxymethyl or acyl such as lower alkanoyl, lower alkenylcarbonyl or lower alkynylcarbonyl or, when taken together with the adjacent carbon atom, R1 and R2 may represent a cyclic ketone group preferably having 4 to 6 carbon atoms and R3 is a group of the formula:
(WHEREIN R4 is lower alkyl, lower alkenyl, lower alkynyl, benzyl, thenyl, furylmethyl, phenoxy or phenylthio, R5 is hydrogen or lower alkyl or R4 and R5 may link together to form a polymethylene chain preferably having 3 to 4 carbon atoms and X is oxygen, sulfur or vinylene) or a group of the formula:
(WHEREIN R6 is benzyl, thenyl or furylmethyl), which is useful as an insecticide characteristic in exerting rapidly the insecticidal activity against various harmful insects.
Abstract:
A PROCESS FOR PRODUCING 4-PHENYL-3-OXO-BUTANE-1-CARBOXYLIC ACID ESTERS COMPRISING REACTING A 4-PHENYL-4CYANO-3-OXO-BUTANE-1-CARBOXYLATE WITH ORTHOPHOSPHORIC ACID OR AQUEOUS ORTHOPHOSPHORIC ACID, THEREBY HYDROLYZING AND REMOVING THE CYANO GROUP OF SAID ESTER PRIOR TO HYDROLYSIS OF THE ESTER PORTION THEREOF. THE REACTION PROGRESSES SMOOTHLY AND QUICKLY, AND EVEN WHEN MORE OR LESS AMOUNT OF FREE CARBOXYLIC ACID IS BY-PRODUCED, THE FREE ACID CAN BE CONVERTED INTO THE DESIRED ESTER BY ADDING THE CORRESPONDING ALCOHOL TO THE REACTION SYSTEM. IN THE CASE OF CYANO-CARBOXYLIC ACID ALSO, THE REACTION PROCEEDS SMOOTHLY AND THEREFORE ACCORDING TO THE PRESENT PROCESS, THE DESIRED ESTER CAN BE PRODUCED ALSO FROM THIS STARTING MATERIAL BY ADDING THE CORRESPONDING ALCOHOL TO THE REACTION SYSTEM.