Amino-substd. alkyl nitriles prodn. - from amines, carbonyl cpds. and hydrogen cyanide, useful e.g. as pharmaceutical and agrochemical intermediates

摘要

Prepn. of glycine nitriles of formula R3R4N.CR5R6.CN (I) comprises reacting amnes R3R4NH (III) with carbonyl cpds R5COR6 (IV) and HCN in presence of water for 0.1-4 hrs. at 0-80 degrees C. The condn. of HCN never exceeds 0.9 wt. % of the reaction mixt. In the formulae, R3-6 are aromatic, cycloaliphatic or araliphatic gps.; R3 and R4 may together complete a heterocycle; R4-6 may also be H, and R5 and R6 may also be aliphatic, and when R5 and/or R6 is aliphatic aromatic, cycloaliphatic or araliphatic, then R3 and R4 can also be aliphatic. Pref. the products where R3-6 are aromatic gps., R5 and R6 may also be H, aliphatic, cycloaliphatic or araliphatic, and R4 may be H, are subsequently treated with an acid at pH 1-7. (I) are stabilisers; intermediates for dyes (e.g. indigo) fungicides, bactericides, textile auxiliaries and antigelling agents; and by saponification give glycine salts useful as selective adsorbents for CO2, SO2 and H2S, and by hydrogenation give assymetric diamines useful for making pharmaceuticals and plant protection agents. Cf. the process of DT 1543342. This method is simpler and more economic giving better yields of purer products. Water pollution and formation of resinous by-products are minimised, and subsequent acid treatment obviates expensive purification steps and avoids losses of solvent.