Ethyl malonate

Ethyl malonate can be conveniently prepared by neutralising a solution of monochloroacetic acid with sodium bicarbonate, then heating with potassium cyanide to form sodium cyanoacetate  

CHjClCOONa + KCN — CHj(CN)COONa + KCl Upon warming the crude sodium cyanoacetate with ethyl alcohol and sulphuric acid, ethyl malonate is produced. Two mechanisms of the reaction have been proposed — 

Malonic ester, like acetoacetic ester (Section 111,151), when treated with an equivalent of sodium ethoxide, forms a mono-sodium derivative, which is of great value in synthetical work. The simplest formulation of the reaction is to r rd it as an attack of the basic ethoxide ion on a hydrogen atom in the CH, group the hydrogen atoms in the CHj group are activated by the presence of the two adjacent carbethoxyl groups  

CjHsOOC)—CH—COOCjHj (I) + HOC Hj The carbanion (I) is a resonance hybrid (mesomeric anion) to which there are contributions carrying the negative charge on either carbon or oxygen  

The sodiocompound may be written [CHtCOOCjHjij] Na, and it must always be home in mind that the anion is mesomeric. The system reacts smoothly with an alkyl halide to give a C-substituted malonic ester, evidently through the carbanion (I)  

The mono-alkyl malonic ester may be hydrolysed by alcoholic potassium 

If only the monocarboxylic acid is required, the ester after hydrolysis with potash may be strongly acidified with sulphuric acid and the mixture heated under reflux the mineral acid promotes decarboxylation at a temperature just above 100°. The net result is the replacement of the halogen atom of the alkyl halide by —CH2COOH thus in the above example  

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Ethyl malonate, like ethyl acetoacetate, exists as a tautomeric mixture of keto and enol forms, although in the case of ethyl malonate... 

To 2 ml. of a freshly prepared dilute aqueous solution of sodium nitroprusside, add 2 drops of ethyl malonate and shake then add 2-3 drops of 10% aqueous sodium hydroxide solution and shake again. A red coloration at once appears, but fades in a few minutes to pale brown,... 

Substitution Derivatives of Ethyl Malonate, Ethyl malonate resembles ethyl acetoacetate in that it gives rise to mono- and di-substituted derivatives in precisely similar circumstances. Thus when ethanolic solutions of ethyl malonate and of sodium ethoxide are mixed, the sodium derivative (A) of the enol form is produced in solution. On boiling this solution with an alkyl halide, e.g, methyl iodide, the methyl derivative (B) of the keto form is obtained. When this is treated again in ethanolic solution with sodium ethoxide, the... 

It follows therefore that ethyl malonate can be used (just as ethyl aceto- acetate) to prepare any mono or di-substituted acetic acid the limitations are identical, namely the substituents must necessarily be alkyl groups (or aryl-alkyl groups such as CjHjCHj), and tri-substituted acetic acids cannot be prepared. Ethyl malonate undergoes no reaction equivalent to the ketonic hydrolysis of ethyl acetoacetate, and the concentration of the alkali used for the hydrolysis is therefore not important. 

When an ethanolic solution of the sodium derivative of ethyl malonate is. shaken with a solution of iodine, the latter withdraws the sodium, and the ethyl malonate residues link together in pairs to give the tetra-ethyl ester of... 

Required Ethanol, 30 ml. sodium, 14 g. iodine, 7 7 g. ethyl malonate, 9 ml. sodium thiosulphate solution. 

While the sodium ethoxide solution is cooling, prepare a solution of 7 7 g. of finely powdered iodine in 60 ml. of ether. When this solution is ready, add 9 ml. (9 6 g.) of ethyl malonate to the ethanolic sodium ethoxide solution, mix w ell and then allow to stand for 30-60 seconds not longer) then cautiously add the ethereal solution of the iodine, mixing thoroughly during the addition in order to avoid local overheating by the heat of the reaction. (If, after the ethyl malonate has been added to the sodium ethoxide, a considerable delay occurs before the iodine is added, the yield of the final product is markedly decreased.)... 

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

Assemble a 250 ml. three-necked flask, fitted with a stirrer, a reflux condenser and a dropping-funnel, as in Fig. 22(A) and (j), p. 43, or Fig. 23(c), p. 46 (or a two-necked flask, with the funnel fitted by a grooved cork (p. 255) to the top of the condenser). Place 40 ml. of ethanol in the flask, and then add 2-3 g. of sodium cut into small pieces. When all the sodium has dissolved, heat the stirred solution on the water-bath, and run in from the funnel 17 g. (17 ml.) of ethyl malonate and then (more slowly) io-2 g. (12 ml.) of mesityl oxide, the reaction-mixture meanwhile forming a thick slurry. Boil the stirred mixture under reflux for i hour, and then add a solution of 10 g. of sodium hydroxide in 50 ml. of water, and continue boiling the pale honey-coloured solution for ij hours more. 

Since Grignard reagents can easily be obtained from aryl halides, they are of special value in the s nthesis of many aromatic compounds, particularly as, for reasons already stated (pp. 270, 276), aromatic compounds cannot generally be prepared by means of ethyl acetoacetate and ethyl malonate. 

Dissolve 13 g. of sodium in 30 ml. of absolute ethanol in a 250 ml. flask carrying a reflux condenser, then add 10 g. (9 5 ml.) of redistilled ethyl malonate, and place the flask on a boiling water-bath. Without delay, add a solution of 5 3 g. of thiourea in a minimum of boiling absolute ethanol (about 100 ml.). The sodium salt of thiobarbituric acid rapidly begins to separate. Fit the water-condenser with a calcium chloride guard-tube (Fig. 61, p. 105), and boil the mixture on the water-bath for 1 hour. Cool the mixture, filter off the sodium salt at the pump and wash it with a small quantity of cold acetone. Dissolve the salt in warm water and liberate the acid by the addition of 30 ml. of concentrated hydrochloric acid diluted with 30 ml. of water. Cool the mixture, filter off the thiobarbituric acid, and recrystallise it from hot water. Colourless crystals, m.p. 245 with decomposition (immersed at 230°). Yield, 3 5 -4 0 g. 

This method of 93mthe8ising acids is rarely used since better yields are obtained with ethyl malonate (Section 111,155). 

Where R and R are identical, the dialkylmalonic ester may be prepared in one operation by treating 1 mol of ethyl malonate with 2 mots each of sodium ethoxide and the alkyl halide (usually bromide or iodide). 

Remove the ether using the apparatus shown in Fig. II, 13, 4 except that a 200 ml. Claisen flask replaces the distilling flask depicted in the diagram. Distil the residual ester vmder diminished pressure (Fig. II, 20, 1) and collect the ethyl malonate at 92-94°/16 mm. The yield is 105 g. 

Pelargonic acid (n-Nonoic acid), CH3(CH2),COOH. Equip a 1-litre, three-necked flask with a reflux condenser, a mercury-sealed stirrer, a dropping funnel and a thermometer. Place 23 g. of sodium, cut in small pieces, in the flask, and add 500 ml. of anhydrous n-butyl alcohol (1) in two or three portions follow the experimental details given in Section 111,152 for the preparation of a solution of sodium ethoxide. When the sodium has reacted completely, allow the solution to cool to 70-80° and add 160 g. (152 ml.) of redistilled ethyl malonate rapidly and with stirring. Heat the solution to 80-90°, and place 182 5 g. (160 ml.) of n-heptyl bromide (compare experimental details in Section 111,37) in the dropping funnel. Add the bromide slowly at first until precipitation of sodium bromide commences, and subsequently at such a rate that the n-butyl alcohol refluxes gently. Reflux the mixture until it is neutral to moist litmus (about 1 hour). 

Trimethylene dibromide (1 mol) condenses with ethyl malonate (1 mol) in the presence of sodium ethoxide (2 mols) to form ethyl cydobutane-1 1-dksrboxylate (I). Upon hydrolysis of the latter with alcoholic potassium hydroxide, followed by acidification cyciobutane-1 1-dicarboxylic acid (II) is obtained. 

Equip a 3 litre three-necked flask with a thermometer, a mercury-sealed mechanical stirrer and a double-surface reflux condenser. It is important that all the apparatus be thoroughly dry. Place 212 g. of trimethylene dibromide (Section 111,35) and 160 g. of ethyl malonate (Section 111,153) (dried over anhydrous calcium sulphate) in the flask. By means of a separatory funnel, supported in a retort ring and fitted into the top of the condenser with a grooved cork, add with stirring a solution of 46 g. of sodium in 800 ml. of super dry ethyl alcohol (Section 11,47,5) (I) at such a rate that the temperature of the reaction mixture is maintained at 60-65° (50-60 minutes). When the addition is complete, allow the mixture to stand until the temperature falls to 50-55°, and then heat on a water bath until a few drops of the liquid when added to water are no longer alkaline to phenolphthalein (about 2 hours). Add sufficient water to dissolve the precipitate of sodium bromide, and remove the alcohol by distillation from a water bath. Arrange the flask for steam distillation (Fig. this merely involves... 

The addition of active methylene compounds (ethyl malonate, ethyl aoeto-acetate, ethyl plienylacetate, nltromethane, acrylonitrile, etc.) to the aP-double bond of a conjugated unsaturated ketone, ester or nitrile In the presence of a basic catalyst (sodium ethoxide, piperidine, diethylamiiie, etc.) is known as the Michael reaction or Michael addition. The reaction may be illustrated by the addition of ethyl malonate to ethyl fumarate in the presence of sodium ethoxide hydrolysis and decarboxylation of the addendum (ethyl propane-1 1 2 3-tetracarboxylate) yields trlcarballylic acid ... 

In the above reaction one molecular proportion of sodium ethoxide is employed this is Michael s original method for conducting the reaction, which is reversible and particularly so under these conditions, and in certain circumstances may lead to apparently abnormal results. With smaller amounts of sodium alkoxide (1/5 mol or so the so-called catal3rtic method) or in the presence of secondary amines, the equilibrium is usually more on the side of the adduct, and good yields of adducts are frequently obtained. An example of the Michael addition of the latter type is to be found in the formation of ethyl propane-1 1 3 3 tetracarboxylate (II) from formaldehyde and ethyl malonate in the presence of diethylamine. Ethyl methylene-malonate (I) is formed intermediately by the simple Knoevenagel reaction and this Is followed by the Michael addition. Acid hydrolysis of (II) gives glutaric acid (III). 

Mesityl oxide (Section 111,79) (I) condenses with ethyl malonate in the presence of sodium ethoxide to give the sodium derivative of (II) this upon hydrolysis with aqueous potassium hydroxide, followed by acidification, gives the cyclic diketone 5 5-dimethyl-l 3-cycfohexanedione (III), of which the enoUc form is 5 5-dimethyldihydroresorcinol (IV) ... 

Ethyl malonate condenses with urea in the presence of sodium ethoxide to yield barbituric acid (malonylurea) ... 

In a 2 litre round-bottomed flask, fitted with a double surface reflux condenser, place 11-5 g. of clean sodium. Add 250 ml. of absolute alcohol in one portion if the reaction is unduly vigorous, immerse the flask momentarily in ice. When all the sodium has reacted, add 80 g. (76 ml.) of ethyl malonate (Section 111,153), followed by a solution of 30 g. of dry urea in 250 ml. of hot (ca. 70°) absolute alcohol. Shake the mixture well, fit a calcium chloride (or cotton wool) guard tube to the top... 

The condensation of 1 mol of ethyl malonate with two mols of ethyl iodide in the presence of two mols of sodium ethoxide gives a good yield of ethyl diethylraalonate. Upon allowing the latter to react with the theoretical quantity of urea in the presence of an alcoholic solution of sodium ethoxide, veronal (diethylbarbituric acid or diethylmalonylurea) is produced. 

Compounds which dissolve in concentrated sulphuric acid may be further subdivided into those which are soluble in syrupy phosphoric acid (A) and those which are insoluble in this solvent (B) in general, dissolution takes place without the production of appreciable heat or colour. Those in class A include alcohols, esters, aldehydes, methyl ketones and cyclic ketones provided that they contain less than nine carbon atoms. The solubility limit is somewhat lower than this for ethers thus re-propyl ether dissolves in 85 per cent, phosphoric acid but re-butyl ether and anisole do not. Ethyl benzoate and ethyl malonate are insoluble. 

Alcohols, esters (but not ethyl benzoate, ethyl malonate or ethyl oxalate), aldehydes, methyl ketones and cyclic ketones containing less than nine carbon atoms as well as ethers containing less than seven carbon atoms are soluble in 85 p>er cent, phosphoric acid. 

Hydrogenolysis of the diallyl alkylmalonate 757 with formic acid in boiling dioxane affords the monocarboxylic acid 758. Allyl ethyl malonates are converted into ethyl carboxylates[471]. The malonic allyl ester TV-allylimide 759 undergoes smooth deallylation in refluxing dioxane to give the simple imide 760(472]. The allyl cyanoacetate 761 undergoes smooth decarboxylation to give... 

Quinone monoacetals such as 2-methoxyben2oquinonemonoacetal [64701-03-7] (66) show regiospeciftc addition of active methylene compounds (66), yielding 83% (67) and 63% (68) on reactions with ethyl malonate. 

One-part urethane sealants (Table 3) are more compHcated to formulate on account of an undesirable side reaction between the prepolymer s isocyanate end and water vapor which generates carbon dioxide. If this occurs, the sealant may develop voids or bubbles. One way to avoid this reaction is to block the isocyanate end with phenol and use a diketamine to initiate cure. Once exposed to moisture, the diketamine forms a diamine and a ketone. The diamine reacts with the isocyanate end on the prepolymer, creating a cross-link (10). Other blocking agents, such as ethyl malonate, are also used (11). Catalysts commonly used in urethane formulations are tin carboxylates and bismuth salts. Mercury salt catalysts were popular in early formulations, but have been replaced by tin and bismuth compounds. 

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