Ethyl cyanoacetic

The Michael Addition Reaction consists in the addition of the sodio-derivative of ethyl acetoacetate, ethyl malonate or ethyl cyanoacetate to an olefine group... 

Ethyl cyanoacetate, a substance of importance in synthetical work, is prepared from chloroacetic acid by the following series of reactions ... 

Two compounds, which may be prepared from ethyl cyanoacetate and also find application in synthetical work, may be included here. Cyanoacetamide, prepar from ethyl cyanoacetate and concentrated ammonia solution ... 

Gyanoacetamide. Place 150 ml. of concentrated aqueous ammonia solution (sp. gr. 0-88) in a 500 ml. wide-mouthed conical flask and add 200 g. (188 ml.) of ethyl cyanoacetate. Shake the cloudy mixture some heat is evolved and it becomes clear in about 3 minutes. Stand the loosely stoppered flask in an ice-salt mixture for 1 hour, filter rapidly with suction, and ash the solid with two 25 ml. portions of ice-cold ethanol. Dry in the air the yield of pale yellow cyanoacetamide is 110 g. (1). Recrystallise from 190 ml. of 95 per cent, ethanol a colourless product, m.p. 119-120 , is deposited with practically no loss. 

Ethyl cyanoacetate (Section 111,131) is sometimes preferable to diethyl malonate for the synthesis of acids. It forms a sodio derivative with sodium ethoxide ... 

Acetone Ethyl cyanoacetate Ethyl i opropylidene cyanoacetate... 

Into a 500 nil. round-bottomed flask, provided with a double surface condenser, place 50 g. (63 ml.) of pure, dry acetone, 50 g. (47 ml.) of ethyl cyanoacetate (Section 111,131) and 0 -5 g. of piperidine. Allow to stand for 60 hours and heat on a water bath for 2 hours. Treat the cold reaction mixture with 100 ml. of ether, wash with dilute hydrochloric acid, then with water, and dry over anhydrous sodium or magnesium sulphate. Distil under diminished pressure and collect the ethyl fsopropylidene cyanoacetate (ethyl a-cyano-pp-dimethylacrylate) at 114-116°/14mm.(l). The yield is 39 g. 

When acetone is condensed with ethyl cyanoacetate in the presence of a solution of anhydrous ammonia in absolute alcohol at —5°, the ammonium salt of the dicyano-imlde (I) is precipitated. Upon dissolving this salt in water and adding excess of concentrated hydrochloric acid, the crystalline dicyano-imide (II) is obtained. Hydrolysis of the last-named with strong sulphuric acid affords p p dimethylglutaric acid (III). 

The above is an example of the Guareschi reaction. It is applicable to most dialkyl ketones and to alicyclic ketones (e.g., cyclohexanone, cyc/opentanone, etc.). The condensation product (I) is probably formed by a simple Knoe-venagel reaction of the ketone and ethyl cyanoacetate to yield ethyl a-cyano-pp dimethylacrylate (CH3)2C=C(CN)COOCjHj, followed by a Michael ad tion of a second molecule of ethyl cyanoacetate finally, the carbethoxyl groups are converted to the cyclic imide structure by the action of ammonia. 

The preparation of ethyl cyanoacetate proceeds via ethyl chloroacetate and begins with acetic acid Wnte a sequence of reactions descnbmg this synthesis... 

Health and Safety Factors. The following toxicities have been reported for cyanoacetic acid oral LD q (rat) 1500 mg/kg subcutaneous LD q (rabbit), 1900 mg/kg and subcutaneous LD q (frog) 1300 mg/kg (29). Eor ethyl cyanoacetate the following toxicities have been reported interperitoneal LD q (mice), 750 mg/kg subcutaneous LD q (rabbits), 1500 mg/kg and subcutaneous LD q (frogs), 4000 mg/kg. 

Physical Properties. The physical properties of cyanoacetic acid [372-09-8] NM7—CH2COOH (28) ate summarized in Table 4. The industrially most important esters ate methyl cyanoacetate [105-34-0] and ethyl cyanoacetate [105-56-6]. Both esters ate miscible with alcohol and ether and immiscible with water. 

Table 4. Physical Properties of Cyanoacetic Acid, Methyl Cyanoacetate, and Ethyl Cyanoacetate...

Property Cyanoacetic acid Methyl cyanoacetate Ethyl cyanoacetate... 

Methyl cyanoacetate and ethyl cyanoacetate are produced by Lonza ia Switzerland and Hbls ia the United States, as well as Juzen and Tateyama ia Japan. The total production capacity is estimated to be ia the range of 10,000 metric tons per year. The market price for both esters ia bulk shipments was around 6/kg ia 1993. 

Analytical and Test Methods. Potentiometic titration is an analytical method for cyanoacetic acid. Methyl and ethyl cyanoacetates are usually analyzed by gas chromatography usiag the same equipment as for the malonates but with a higher column and iajector temperatures, namely 150 and 200°C, respectively. 

Health and Safety Factors. Handling of cyanoacetic acid and cyanoacetates do not present any specific danger or health hazard if handled with the usual precautions. Cyanoacetic acid is classified as a moderate irritant (skin irritation, rabbits) and has an LD q (oral, rats) of 1500 mg/kg. Methyl and ethyl cyanoacetate are both classified as slight irritants (skin irritation, rabbits) and have an LD q (oral, rats) of 3062 and 2820 mg/kg, respectively. Transport classification cyanoacetic acid RID/ADR 8 IMDG-Code 8 lATA/ICAO 6.1. Methyl and ethyl cyanoacetate RID/ADR 6.1 IMDG-Code 6.1 lATA/ICAO 6.1. 

Halogenopyrimidines react with active methylene groups, such as those in diethyl malonate, ethyl cyanoacetate, ketene diethylacetal, etc. For example, 4-chloro-6-methyl-5-nitropyrimidin-2-amine (454) and dimethyl sodiomalonate give dimethyl 2-amino-6-methyl-5-nitropyrimidin-4-ylmalonate (455) (63ZOB3132) 2-chloro-4,6-... 

If the substituent at the 3-position is a group that can be eliminated as an anion (such as Cr, CN and NJ), the reaction proceeds without the cleavage of the C(3)—C(4) bond in the isoxazole ring and involves the ejection of the 3-substituent as an anion. For example, 3-cyanoisoxazole (114) reacted with sodium ethoxide at room temperature to give ethyl cyanoacetate (115) via an intermediate cyanoketene (32G436). 

D A R A P S K I Amino Acid Synthesis (see Curtius) Amino acid synthesis from ethyl cyanoacetates... 

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