Carboxylic acid amide hydrolysis to acid and amine or ammonia - catalysed by inorganic acid and or metal salt

摘要

Hydrolysis of a carboxylic acid amide (A) to the carboxylic acid and an amine or NH3 takes place by reacting (A) with water contg. an inorganic acid and/or metal salt catalyst, at >150(200-250) degrees C. Catalyst pref. has formula MgQn (I) (where M is H or an opt. complexed meal cation and Q is >=1 anion. Prod. of M cation valency and integer p = prod. of anion Q valency and integer n). The process can be used for the hydrolysis of aromatic heterocyclic or opt. unsatd. aliphatic acid. The hydrolysis of alpha-hydroxy-isobutyric acid amide to alpha-hydroxy-isobutyric acid and NH3 is specifically chaimed. Mild conditions are used. The addn. of catalyst can improve acid yield from 7- to >44% (using CuCl2) to 82% (using UO2Ac2) at 230 degrees C. Selectivities exceed 96%.