Acylation citraconic anhydride

Citraconic anhydride (or 2-methylmaleic anhydride) is a derivative of maleic anhydride that is even more reversible after acylation than maleylated compounds. At alkaline pH values (pH 7-8) the reagent effectively reacts with amine groups to form amide linkages and a terminal carboxylate. However, at acid pH (3-4), these bonds rapidly hydrolyze to release citraconic acid and free the amine (Figure 1.86) (Dixon and Perham, 1968 Habeeb and Atassi, 1970 Klapper and Klotz, 1972 Shetty and Kinsella, 1980). Thus, citraconic anhydride has been used to temporarily block amine groups while other parts of a molecule are undergoing derivatization. Once the modification is complete, the amines then can be unblocked to create the original structure. 

Condensation with Aldehydes and Ketones. Succinic anhydride and succinic esters in the presence of different catalysts react in the gas phase with formaldehyde to give citraconic acid or anhydride and itaconic acid (94—96). Dialkyl acyl succinates are obtained by reaction of dialkyl succinates with C 4 aldehydes over peroxide catalysts (97). 

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