Cyanoacetate hydrolysis

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). 

A solution of sodium cyanide [143-33-9] (ca 25%) in water is heated to 65—70°C in a stainless steel reaction vessel. An aqueous solution of sodium chloroacetate [3926-62-3] is then added slowly with stirring. The temperature must not exceed 90°C. Stirring is maintained at this temperature for one hour. Particular care must be taken to ensure that the hydrogen cyanide, which is formed continuously in small amounts, is trapped and neutrali2ed. The solution of sodium cyanoacetate [1071 -36-9] is concentrated by evaporation under vacuum and then transferred to a glass-lined reaction vessel for hydrolysis of the cyano group and esterification. The alcohol and mineral acid (weight ratio 1 2 to 1 3) are introduced in such a manner that the temperature does not rise above 60—80°C. For each mole of ester, ca 1.2 moles of alcohol are added. 

Beryllium, calcium, boron, and aluminum act in a similar manner. Malonic acid is made from monochloroacetic acid by reaction with potassium cyanide followed by hydrolysis. The acid and the intermediate cyanoacetic acid are used for the synthesis of polymethine dyes, synthetic caffeine, and for the manufacture of diethyl malonate, which is used in the synthesis of barbiturates. Most metals dissolve in aqueous potassium cyanide solutions in the presence of oxygen to form complex cyanides (see Coordination compounds). 

Guareschi imides are useful synthetic intermediates. They are formed from a ketone reacting with two equivalents of the cyanoacetic esters and ammonia. This transformation is illustrated in the formation of 4,4-dimethylcyclopentenone 30.The synthesis was initiated with the Guareschi reaction of 3-pentanone 27 with 28 to generate imide 29. This product was hydrolyzed to the diacid and esterified. Cyclization of the diester via acyloin condensation followed by hydrolysis and dehydration afforded the desired target 30. 

Formal oxidation of pyrrolidine to the succinimide stage affords a series of compounds used as anticonvulsant agents for treatment of seizures in petit mal epilepsy. Knoevnagel condensation of benzaldehyde with ethyl cyanoacetate affords the unsaturated ester, 9. Conjugate addition of cyanide ion leads to the di-nitrile ester (10). Hydrolysis in mineral acid affords the succinic acid (11), presumably by decarboxylation of the intermediate tricarboxyllie acid. Lactamization with methylamine gives phensuximide (12). ... 

An early application of this reaction to the preparation of barbiturates starts by the condensation of the ketone, I21, with ethyl cyanoacetate by Knoevenagel condensation. Alkylation of the product (122) with ethyl bromide by means of sodium ethoxide affords 123. Condensation of this intermediate with guanidine in the presence of sodium ethoxide gives the diimino analog of a barbiturate (124). Hydrolysis affords vinbarbital (111). > ... 

A somewhat more complex side chain is incorporated by alkylation of the carbanion of the substituted cyanoacetate, 148, with 2-chloroethylmethyl sulfide. Condensation of the resulting cyanoester (149) with thiourea followed by hydrolysis of the resulting imine (150) affords methitural (151)... 

Reaction of ethyl cyanoacetate with ethyl thiol acetate produces a and mixture of the dihydrothiazole derivative 80. This is ji-alkylated with methyl iodide and base (8 ), the active methylene group is brominated (82), and then a displacement with piperidine (83) is performed. Hydrolysis completes the synthesis of the diuretic agent, ozolinone (84). 

Malonic acid has been made by the hydrolysis of malononitrile with concentrated hydrochloric acid,2 by the hydration of carbon suboxide,3 and by the hydrolysis of cyanoacetic acid4 and its esters5 with potash. A method for the preparation of calcium malonate from chloroacetic acid and potassium cyanide is described by Fischer.6 Conrad7 liberated malonic acid from calcium malonate, so prepared, with oxalic acid. v. Miller,8 Grimaux and Tscherniak, and Bourgoin10 prepared malonic acid from chloroacetic acid and potassium cyanide, Petriev11 from... 

Cyclobutanedicarboxylic acid has been prepared by hydrolysis of the ethyl ester,1 or of the half nitrile, 1-cyano-l-car-boxycyclobutane.2 The ethyl ester has been prepared by condensation of ethyl malonate with trimethylene bromide1 or chloro-bromide.3 The half nitrile has been prepared by condensation of trimethylene bromide with ethyl cyanoacetate followed by hydrolysis of the ester to the acid.2... 

The submitters prepared o-chlorohydrocinnamonitrile by the following procedure. Ethyl cyanoacetate (3040 g., 27 moles) was added to a solution of 140 g. (6.1 g. atoms) of sodium in 4 1. of absolute ethanol, followed by 970 g. (6 moles) of o.a-dichloro-toluene (Eastman Organic Chemicals), to afford 890 g. (63%) of ethyl 2-(o-chlorobenzyl)cyanoacetate,2 b.p. 117-123° (0.03 mm.). Hydrolysis of this material in 2 1. of 10% aqueous sodium hydroxide at room temperature gave a quantitative yield (790 g.) of 2-(o-chlorobenzyl)cyanoacetic acid, m.p. 129-132° without recrystallization. Decarboxylation of 750 g. of the acid in 750 ml. 

The hydrolysis of ethyl (l,2,4-triazol-3-ylmethylene)cyanoacetate (375) in aqueous hydrochloric acid gave monoethyl (l,2,4-triazol-3-yl)methy-lenemalonate (376) (57G931). 

Valproic acid, 2-propylvaleric acid (9.4.3), is synthesized by the alkylation of cyanoacetic ester with two moles of propylbromide, to give dipropylcyanoacetic ester (9.4.1). Hydrolysis and decarboxylation of the carbethyoxy group gives dipropylacetonitrile (9.4.2), which is hydrolyzed into valproic acid (9.4.3) [12-15]. 

Pyrantel Pyrantel, l,4,5,6-tetrahydro-l-methyl-2-[trans-2-(2-thienyl)vinyl]-pyrimidine (38.1.22), a derivative of tetrahydropyrimidine, is made from 3-(2-thienyl)-acrylonitrile (38.1.19), which is made in a Knoevangel condensation of fnrfnral with cyanoacetic acid. Acidic hydrolysis of this makes 3-2(-thienyl)acrylamide (38.1.20). Reacting this with propansnUone gives an iminoester (38.1.21), which when reacted with A-methyltrimethyl-enediamine gives the desired pyrantel [20-23]. 

The 6//-l,3-thiazin-6-iminium hydroperchlorate salts 78-81 give interesting products when treated with nucleophiles <2003H(60)2273>. Hydrolysis of 6-imino-6//-l,3-thiazine hydroperchlorate 78 affords (2Z,4Z)-2-cyano-5-hydroxy-5-phenyM-azapenta-2,4-dienethioamide 82 in excellent yield, while treatment with morpholine gives 2-(morpholinomethylene)malononitrile 83 and thiobenzamide. The 5-(ethoxycarbonyl) -(methylthio)-2-aryl-6/7-l,3-thiazin-6-iminium salts 79 and 80 react with hydroxide or morpholine to afford ethyl 4-(methylthio)-2-aryl-6-thioxo-l,6-dihydropyrimidine-5-carboxylates 84 and 85. In the case of the 4-chloro analogue 80, the (Z)-ethyl 2-(5-(4-chlorophenyl)-37/-l,2,4-dithiazol-3-ylidene)-2-cyanoacetate 87 is also formed for the reaction with sodium hydroxide. The 1,2,4-dithiazoles 86 and 87 can be obtained as the sole product when 79 and 80 are treated with sodium acetate in DMSO. Benzoxazine 88 is isolated when the iminium salt 81 is treated with morpholine or triethylamine. Nitrile 89 is formed as a ( /Z)-mixture when 6-imino-67/-l,3-thiazine hydroperchlorate 79 is reacted with triethylamine and iodomethane in methanol <2003H(60)2273>. 

Transformation of both the ester and nitrile derivatives 726 or 727 into pyrano[2,3-t7 pyridazines 728 or 729, respectively, by treatment with dilute HCl at room temperature involved nucleophilic displacement of the morpholine group by the hydroxyl group with an acidic hydrolysis followed by intramolecular iminolactonization and then hydrolysis of the formed imino group to a carbonyl group. Compounds 726 and 727 were prepared by Vilsmeier-Haack formylation of 2-methyl-5-morpholino-3(2/7)-pyridazinone 724 followed by condensation of the resulting product 725 with either ethyl a-cyanoacetate or malononitrile in EtOH (Scheme 34) <1994H(37)171>. 

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