Propionic acid, bromination chlorination

Additionally, several brominated compounds were identified for the first time as environmental contaminants. Their analytical properties (mass spectral, gas chromatographic and IR spectroscopical data) revealed the occurrence of mono- and dibrominated (methoxyphenyl)propionic acids and hydroxymethylacetophenones. Interestingly, the Rhine water samples investigated were dominated by brominated compounds as compared to chlorinated substances. This is an unusual state of riverine pollution with respect to halogenated compounds. 

As one of the enzymic reactions, asymmetric synthesis catalyzed by cyclodextrins has been studied in the past, but gave all the products in a low optical yield. We have already found a strong chiral induction for the chlorination of methacrylic acid in the crystalline cyclodextrin complexes. 100 % enantiomeric excess (e.e.) of (-)-2,3-dichloro-2-methyl-propionic acid and 88 % e.e. of its enantiomer were isolated in a- and 3-cyclodextrins, respectively. This paper describes asymmetric addition of gaseous halogens and hydrogen halides in the crystalline complexes comprising trans-cinnamic acid as a reactant and a- or 3-cyclodextrin as chiral matrix. Asymmetric bromination of menthyl cinnamate and of salts from the acid and several chiral amines have been reported, but gave low chiral inductions up to 2 16 % e.e.. 

The procedure can be extended to achieve selective a-bromination and iodination of carboxylic acids and the general mechanism of the a-halogenation is outlined in Chapter 5, p 170. The autocatalytic effects in the selective a-chlorination of propionic acid to the 2-chloro and 2,2-dichloro acids have been studied in a semibatch reaction at 90-130 °C. The reaction was performed in the presence of chlorosulfonic acid and dichloroacetic acid as catalysts and oxygen as the radical scavenger. Kinetic experiments indicated autocatalytic formation of both products and that the selectivity was independent of the chlorine concentration in the liquid phase. The results confirmed the validity of the proposed reaction scheme which involved formation of the reaction intermediate, propanoyl chloride from propionic acid and chlorosulfonic acid, the acid-catalysed enolization of the acid, and a hydroxyl-chlorine exchange reaction. The acid-catalysed enolization was the rate-determining step in the reaction sequence. ... 

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