PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF ELECTRON-POOR OLEFINS

Description

BACKGROUND Field

[0001] This invention relates to a process for preparing electron deficient olefins, such as 2-cyanoacrylates, using an acid catalyzed Knoevenagel condensation reaction.Brief Description of Related Technology

[0002] Cyanoacrylate adhesives are known for their fast adhesion and ability to bond a wide variety of substrates. They are marketed as "super glue" type adhesives. They are useful as an all-purpose adhesive since they are a single component adhesive, very economical as only a small amount will do, and generally do not require any equipment to effectuate curing. Traditionally, cyanoacrylate monomers have been produced by way of a Knoevenagel condensation reaction between a formaldehyde precursor, such as paraformaldehyde, and an alkyl cyanoacetate under base catalysed conditions. During the reaction, cyanoacrylate monomer forms but, due to the prevailing basic reaction conditions, polymerises in situ to a prepolymer. The prepolymer is subsequently thermally cracked or depolymerised, yielding cyanoacrylate monomer. This approach has remained essentially the same over time, though various improvements and variants have been introduced. See e.g. U.S. Patent Nos. 6,245,933, 5,624,699, 4,364,876, 2,721,858, 2,763,677 and 2,756,251.

[0003] The types of ester side chains that can be introduced to the cyanoacrylic acid ester both in terms of functionality and size is ordinarily limited when a basic catalyst is used in the synthetic steps, largely due to the thermal cracking step that follows in an attempt to liberate a cyanoacrylate monomer. Therefore a synthetic route which avoids the use of a basic catalyst and thermal cracking step is desirable and from a process perspective would be more cost-effective.

[0004] In U.S. Patent No. 3,142,698, the synthesis of difunctional cyanoacrylates using a Knoevenagel condensation reaction is described. However, the ability to thermally depolymerise the resulting, now crosslinked, prepolymer in a reliable and reproducible manner to produce pure difunctional monomers in high yields is questionable [see J. Buck, J. Polym. Sci., Polym. Chem. Ed., 16, 2475-2507 (1978), and U.S. Patent Nos. 3,975,422, 3,903,055, 4,003,942, 4,012,402, and 4,013,703]. A variety of other processes for producing cyanoacrylate monomers are known, and some of which are described below.

[0005] U.S. Patent No. 5,703,267 defines a process for producing a 2-cyanoacrylic acid which comprises subjecting a 2-cyanoacrylate and an organic acid (such as formic acid, acetic acid, propionic acid and butyric acid) to a transesterification reaction. Other organic acids are noted for use in the reaction as well: aromatic acids (specifically benzoic acid and phthalic acid), other fatty acids (specifically isobutyric acid, valeric acid, trimethylacetic acid, caproic acid, n-hexanoic acid, 2-methyl-pentanoic acid, n-octanoic acid, n-decanoic acid, lauric acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, and oleic acid), derivatives of acetic acid (specifically fluoroacetic acid, chloroacetic acid, bromoacetic acid, iodoacetic acid, dichloroacetic acid, trichloroacetic acid, cyanoacetic acid, and vinylacetic acid), chloropropionic acid, and acrylic acid and methacrylic acid.

[0006] U.S. Patent No. 5,455,369 defines an improvement in a process for preparing methyl cyanoacrylate, in which methyl cyanoacetate is reacted with formaldehyde to form a polymer that is then depolymerized to the monomeric product, and in which the purity of yield is 96% or better. The improvement of the '369 patent is reported to be conducting the process in a poly(ethylene glycol) diacetate, dipropionate, or dibutyrate, having a number average molecular weight of 200-400, as the solvent.

[0007] U.S. Patent No. 6,096,848 defines a process for the production of a biscyanoacrylate, which comprises the steps of esterifying a 2-cyanoacrylic acid or transesterifying an alkyl ester thereof to obtain a reaction mixture; and fractionally crystallizing the reaction mixture to obtain the biscyanoacrylate.

[0008] U.S. Patent No. 4,587,059 defines a process for the preparation of monomeric 2-cyanoacrylates comprising the steps of (a) reacting (i) a 2,4-dicyanoglutarate with (ii) formaldehyde, cyclic or linear polymers of formaldehyde, or a mixture thereof, in the presence of between 0.5 and 5 mols of water per mol of 2,4-dicyanoglutarate, at an acid pH of 3 to slightly less than 7, and at a temperature of 70 to 140, to form an oligomeric intermediate product, and (b) removing water that is present from step (a) and thermolyzing the oligomeric intermediate product for a period of time sufficient to effect its conversion to monomeric 2-cyanoacrylates.

[0009] U.S. Patent No. 3,654,340 (Banitt) describes and claims an added step in the condensation reaction of formaldehyde with esters of 2-cyanoacetic acid to produce 2-cyanoacrylate esters. The '340 patent focusses on catalyzing the reaction with a mixture of an acid and the salt of a primary or secondary amine with the same or stronger acid. The acid / amine combination is reported to reduce the extent of polymerization; however, polymerization still occurs and thus a thermal cracking step is required. The catalytic mixture is said to have a pH value of 5 or less when exact amounts of its components are dissolved in 25 ml of water. The '340 patent describes the process to be effective with fluorinated 2-cyanoacrylate esters.

[0010] U.S. Patent No. 3,728,375 is directed to and claims monomeric α-cyanoacrylate esters having esters of an alkyl group of 1-16 carbon atoms, a cyclohexyl group, a phenyl group, an alkoxyalkyl group of 2-16 carbon atoms, a haloalkyl group of 1-10 carbon atoms, an alkenyl group of 2-16 carbon atoms, an arylalkyl group of 7-16 carbon atoms, or an acetoethyl group, and methods of forming the monomeric α-cyanoacrylate esters. Compositions made with these monomeric α-cyanoacrylate esters are prepared containing less than 200 ppm of water.

[0011] Recently, a series of U.S. patents have been granted that describe and claim the use of ionic liquids and / or iminium salts in an alternative synthesis of electron deficient olefins. See e.g. U.S. Patent Nos. 7,659,423; 7,718,821; 7,569,719; 8,022,251; 8,053,589; and 8,686,105.

[0012] In addition, International Patent Publication No. WO2015 / 150882 A1 describes a process for preparing 1,1-disubstituted ethylene monomers (such as cyanoacrylates) using a catalytic amount of an ammonium or iminium salt in homogeneous phase or supported on a solid substrate. The process is reported to be a direct synthesis of such monomers, which does not require a cracking or thermal depolymerization step. DE 2738285 discloses the preparation of cyanoacrylates from cyanoacetates and a formaldehyde source, catalysed by manganese and calcium salts.

[0013] Nonetheless, commercial production of cyanoacrylate monomers ordinarily relies on the depolymerisation of a prepolymer formed under base-catalyzed Knoevenagel condensation reaction conditions, as noted above. Still today the Knoevenagel condensation reaction is believed to remain the most efficient and prevalent commercial method for producing high yields of monofunctional cyanoacrylates.

[0014] It would be desirable to not have to resort to thermally induced depolymerisation of a prepolymer produced by the Knoevenagel condensation reaction, for many of the reasons stated above. This prospect may also enable facile access to highly useful difunctional monomers, such as so-called biscyanaocrylates or hybrid materials of cyanoacrylate and other polymerizable or reactive functionality. The technical literature is replete with references to acid-catalyzed Knoevenagel condensation reactions, some of which even using lanthanide series elements, such as ybterrium. For instance, reference may be made to J. Molec. Cat. A: Chemical, 240, 99-102 (2005); J. Org. Chem., 80, 3101-10 (2015); and J. Kor. Chem. Soc., Vol. 55, No. 6, 1000-1006 (2011).

[0015] Nonetheless, apart from the '340 patent, absent from the published literature is the use of acid catalysts for the Knoevenagel condensation reaction in the preparation of 2-cyanoacrylates. Until now.SUMMARY

[0016] Unlike the state of the technology, the present invention provides a direct or "crackless" synthesis of 2-cyanoacrylate monomers, using catalysts of lanthanide elements.

[0017] By employing an acid catalyst in the Knoevenagel reaction, thermal depolymerization or cracking can be avoided, thereby affording a direct synthesis to a cyanoacrylate monomer. Avoidance of this thermal depolymerization or cracking step offers greater opportunity to access electron deficient olefins, such as novel cyanoacrylates, which would otherwise be unobtainable through the conventional base-catalyzed Knoevenagel reaction / depolymerization process. Cost efficiencies may also be realized by the herein described acid-catalyzed Knoevenagel synthetic route to the existing range of monomers synthesized by the conventional Knoevenagel reaction.

[0018] The process for the preparation of a reactive electron deficient olefin is provided herein. In one, more focused, aspect, the invention includes the steps of: (a) reacting a cyanoacetate and a source of aldehyde in the presence of a catalyst comprising a lanthanide element, under appropriate conditions and for a time sufficient to yield a cyanoacrylate, and wherein the aldehyde is a member selected from the group consisting of paraformaldeyde, formalin, 1,3,5-trioxan, methylene diacetate, dimethoxymethane and acrolein; (b) optionally, separating from the mixture the so formed cyanoacrylate substantially free from the cyanoacetate, the source of aldehyde and / or the catalyst, and by-products. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURE

[0019] FIG. 1 depicts a synthetic scheme according to the present invention. More specifically, FIG. 1 shows the reaction of a cyanoacetate with a formaldehyde source in an acetonitrile solvent at a temperature of 90°C in the presence of ytterbium trifluoromethane sulfonate [Yb(OTf) 3 ]. The reaction generates the target cyanoacrylate. In the figure, R represents straight chain, branched, cyclic or fused C 1-20 alkyl or alkylenyl, C 2-20 alkenyl or alkenylenyl, C 2-20 alkynyl or alkynylenyl, and C 6-20 aryl or arylenyl or C 7-20 alkaryl or alkarylenyl, with or without substitution or interruption by one or more heteroatoms.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] As noted above, the present disclosure provides a process for the preparation of a reactive electron deficient olefin. In one, more focused, aspect, the invention includes the steps of: (a) reacting a cyanoacetate and a source of aldehyde, in the presence of a catalyst comprising a lanthanide, under appropriate conditions and for a time sufficient to yield a cyanoacrylate, and wherein the aldehyde is a member selected from the group consisting of paraformaldeyde, formalin, 1,3,5-trioxan, methylene diacetate, dimethoxymethane and acrolein; (b) optionally, separating from the mixture the so formed cyanoacrylate substantially free from the cyanoacetate, the source of aldehyde and / or the catalyst, and by-products.

[0021] By the processes of the present invention yields greater than 50%, desirably 60% and more desirably 70% may be achieved.

[0022] Reference to FIG. 1 may be useful to appreciate further the present invention, which is described in more detail below and in the Examples section that follows.

[0023] Thus, as an initial reactant in the inventive processes is a source of aldehyde. The aldehyde source may be aldehyde compounds having the structure R-CH=O, where R is hydrogen. The aldehyde compound may be an aldehyde itself or a source of an aldehyde, such as one that yields an aldehyde like formaldehyde under reaction conditions. The aldehyde compound is paraformaldehyde, formalin, 1,3,5-trioxane, methylene diacetate, dimethoxymethane, or acrolein.

[0024] The source of aldehyde should be used in an amount of 1.0-2.0 equivalents, such as 2.0 equivalents.

[0025] As a reactant with such an aldehyde is an electron deficient olefin precursor (or, a 2-electron withdrawing group-substituted methylene compound).

[0026] The electron deficient olefin precursor may be embraced by: where EWG represents an electron withdrawing group, such as cyano or nitrile, alkoxy or aryloxy (which may itself be substituted by an EWG in the ortho and / or para position on the aromatic ring), carboxyl (e.g., carboxylic acids or carboxylic esters), sulphonic acids, carbonyls, halogens (e.g., F, Cl, Br, and I), nitro, isocyanate, sulfoxide and phosphine oxide; and R here represents straight chain, branched, cyclic or fused C 1-20 alkyl or alkylenyl, C 2-20 alkenyl or alkenylenyl, C 2-20 alkynyl or alkynylenyl, and C 6-20 aryl or arylenyl or C 7-20 alkaryl or alkarylenyl, with or without substitution or interruption by one or more heteroatoms.

[0027] This electron deficient olefin precursor may contain a methylene linkage having at least one electron withdrawing substituent attached thereto, where the electron withdrawing substituent is selected from cyano or nitrile, alkoxy or aryloxy, carboxyl (such as carboxylic acids and carboxylic esters), sulphonic acids, carbonyls, halogens (e.g., F, Cl, Br, and I), nitro, isocyanate, sulfoxide and phosphine oxide.

[0028] Representative examples of these electron deficient olefin precursor compounds include malononitrile, malonic acid esters, malonoyl dihalides (e.g., malonoyl dichloride), ethyl nitroacetate, cyanoacetic acid esters (i.e., cyanoacetate), glycolic acid esters, 4-cyclopentene-1,3-dione, cyclopentane-1,3-dione, 4-cyclohexene-1,3-dione, cyclohexane-1,3-dione, 2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxane-4,6-dione (Meldrum's acid), and tetronic acid, some of which are commercially available for instance from Aldrich Chemical Co. The electron deficient olefin precursor compound used in the present invention is cyanoacetate.

[0029] The catalyst is acidic in nature, as measured or determined by its ability to donate a hydrogen (proton or hydrogen ion H +< ), or, alternatively, its ability to form a covalent bond with an electron pair. To the lanthanide element is bonded, coordinated or complexed, as appropriate, one or more ligands. The ligands may be selected for instance from conventional leaving groups used in organic synthetic schemes. Halogens, tosylates, mesylates, nitrates and triflates are chief among ligands that are suitable for use herein.

[0030] A prime example of a lanthanide element suitable for use in this connection is ytterbium, though others may also be useful, such as lanthanum, cerium, samarium, europium, and dysprosium.

[0031] Desirable catalysts for use in the inventive process include ytterbium trifluoromethane sulfonate [Yb(OTf) 3 ]

[0032] The catalyst should be used in an amount of 0-20mol%, such as 0.5-10mol%, desirably 1-5mol%, based on the electron deficient olefin precursor.

[0033] The electron deficient olefin so formed by the inventive processes may be a variety of olefins having at least one electron withdrawing group attached thereto.

[0034] Also disclosed is that the electron deficient olefin so formed will have two or more electron withdrawing groups attached thereto, which may be the same or different. For instance, the electron deficient olefin may be a compound having one end terminating with a cyanoacrylate, cyanopentadienoate, cyanohexadienoate, or alkylene derived from dimalonate and another end terminating with a group selected from branched and unbranched alkyl esters, esters containing aromatics and heterocyclic nuclei, (meth)acrylates, cyanoacrylates, siloxanes, blocked and unblocked isocyanates, anhydrides, silanes, vinyls, acetylenes, and epoxies.

[0035] Particularly desirable products have two electron withdrawing groups attached thereto which are different, such as 2-cyanoacrylate esters.

[0036] Representative examples of 2-cyanoacrylates so formed by the inventive processes include those having ester groups of methyl, ethyl, propyl, isoamyl, propargyl, butyl, pentyl, hexyl, octyl, nonyl, oxononyl, decyl, dodecyl, allyl, ethynyl, butenyl, cyclohexyl, phenyl, phenethyl, tetrahydrofurfuryl, chloroethyl, 2,2,2-trifluoroethyl, hexafluoroisopropyl, methoxymethyl, thiomethoxymethyl, methoxyethyl, thiomethoxyethyl, methoxybutyl, thiomethoxybutyl, ethoxyethyl, thioethoxyethyl, propoxyethyl, thioproxyethyl, butoxymethyl, thiobutoxymethyl, butoxyethyl, thiobutoxyethyl and dimethyl siloxane esters of 2-cyanoacrylic acid. This recitation is by no means however exhaustive.

[0037] The electron deficient olefin may also be a biscyanoacrylate, biscyanopentadienoate, biscyanohexadienoate, or a bis-alkylene derived from dimalonates or malononitrile, or combinations thereof.

[0038] The reaction of the inventive processes proceeds in solvent either forming a solution or a suspension. Acetonitrile has been used. In addition, different solvents may be used, such as benzonitrile, nitromethane, chlorobenzene, tetrachloroethene, toluene, THF, 1,4-dioxane, and (poly)ethylene glycol dialkyl ethers or esters. Ionic liquids may also be used as a solvent. The reaction of the inventive processes may proceed with or without heating or cooling, depending of course on the specific reactants and the scale of the reaction.

[0039] Decomposition of the source of aldehyde, e.g., paraformaldehyde, may occur under gentle heating up to a temperature of 70°C, to liberate formaldehyde in situ in the reaction medium. The temperature may be reached through an external heating element or internally by means of an exotherm that may be generated depending on the identity of the reactants. The temperature of the reaction should be controlled however to accommodate any such exothermic processes.

[0040] The time of reaction may be monitored by reference to the formation of the desired electron deficient olefin product. 1< H NMR spectrometer is a particularly useful tool in this regard. The time of reaction may be as little as 30 minutes, for instance, or longer or shorter for that matter depending again on the identity of the specific reactants, the scale of the reaction and whether heat is added to the reaction conditions.

[0041] Once formed, the electron deficient olefin may be isolated as a product by removing solvent and then subsequently distilling away water formed as a by-product.

[0042] The electron deficient olefin so formed by the inventive processes may be stabilized during the synthesis and / or isolation procedure, and also in the isolated product to improve its shelf life. Suitable stabilizers include free radical stabilizers and acidic stabilizers, particularly in the case of 2-cyanoacrylate esters formed as the product of such inventive processes.

[0043] For example, free radical stabilizers include hydroquinone, pyrocatechol, resorcinol or derivatives thereof, such as hydroquinone monoethyl ether, or phenols, such as di-t-butylphenol or 2,6-di-t-butyl-p-cresol, 2,2'-methylene-bis-(4-methyl-6-t-butylphenol), bisphenol A, dihydroxydiphenylmethane, and styrenized phenols.

[0044] For example, acidic stabilizers include Lewis acids, sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, sulfonic acids, such as methane, ethane or higher sulfonic acids, p-toluene sulfonic acid, phosphoric acid or polyphosphoric acids, silyl esters of strong acids, such as those derived from trialkyl chlorosilanes, dialkyl dichlorosilanes, alkyl trichlorosilanes, tetrachlorosilane, trialkyl silylsulfonic acids, trialkyl silyl-p-toluene sulfonates, bis-trialkyl silylsulfate and trialkyl silylphosphoric acid esters.

[0045] The amount of stabilizer(s) used to stabilize the electron deficient olefin prepared by the inventive processes is well known to those of ordinary skill in the art, and may be varied depending on the properties of the resulting composition made from the so formed electron deficient olefin.

[0046] The following examples are intended to illustrate but in no way limit the present invention.EXAMPLES Example 1:

[0047] To a 25ml round bottomed flask was added 1.80g (60mmol) of paraformaldehyde, 3.39g (30mmol) of ethyl cyanoacetate and 10mL of acetonitrile. The flask was fitted with a reflux condenser and magnetic stirrer before being immersed in an oil bath at a temperature of 90°C. The mixture was stirred at this temperature for a period of time of 30 minutes before a solution of 1.86g (3mmol, 10mol%) ytterbium triflate in 5mL of acetonitrile was added. The reaction was stopped at 23 hours. The relative conversion of cyanoacetate to cyanoacrylate was monitored by 500MHz 1< H NMR. Relative Conversion by NMR:17hr : 55.59%19hr : 60.98%21hr : 66.58%23hr : 70.67% Example 2:

[0048] To a 25ml round bottomed flask was added 1.80g (60mmol) of paraformaldehyde, 3.39g (30mmol) of ethyl cyanoacetate and 10mL of nitromethane. The flask was fitted with a reflux condenser and magnetic stirrer before being immersed in an oil bath at a temperature of 105°C. The mixture was stirred at this temperature for a period of time of 30min before a solution of 1.86g (3mmol, 10mol%) ytterbium triflate in 5mL of acetonitrile was added. The reaction was stopped at the 8 hour mark, where the relative conversion of cyanoacetate to cyanoacrylate by 500MHz 1< H NMR was determined to be 67.29%.Example 3:

[0049] To a 25ml round bottomed flask was added 1.80g (60mmol) of paraformaldehyde, 6.699g (30mmol) of t-butylcyclohexyl-cyanoacetate and 10mL of acetonitrile. The flask was fitted with a reflux condenser and magnetic stirrer before being immersed in an oil bath at 90°C. The mixture was stirred at this temperature for a period of time of 30 minutes before a solution of 1.86g (3mmol, 10mol%) ytterbium triflate in 5mL of acetonitrile was added. The reaction was stopped at 23 hours, where the relative conversion of cyanoacetate to cyanoacrylate by 500MHz 1< H NMR was determined to be 76.00%.

Claims

1. A process for the preparation of a reactive electron deficient olefin, steps of which comprise: (a) reacting a cyanoacetate and a source of aldehyde, in the presence of a catalyst comprising a lanthanide element, under appropriate conditions and for a time sufficient to yield a cyanoacrylate and wherein the aldehyde is a member selected from the group consisting of paraformaldeyde, formalin, 1,3,5-trioxan, methylene diacetate, dimethoxymethane and acrolein; (b) optionally, separating from the mixture the so formed cyanoacrylate substantially free from the cyanoacetate, the source of aldehyde and / or the catalyst, and by-products.

2. The process of Claim 1, wherein the 2-cyanoacrylate has as an ester group a member selected from the group consisting of methyl, ethyl, propyl, isoamyl, propargyl, butyl, pentyl, hexyl, octyl, nonyl, oxononyl, decyl, dodecyl, allyl, ethynyl, butenyl, cyclohexyl, phenyl, phenethyl, tetrahydrofurfuryl, chloroethyl, 2,2,2-trifluoroethyl, hexafluoroisopropyl, methoxymethyl, thiomethoxymethyl, methoxyethyl, thiomethoxyethyl, methoxybutyl, thiomethoxybutyl, ethoxyethyl, thioethoxyethyl, propoxyethyl, thioproxyethyl, butoxymethyl, thiobutoxymethyl, butoxyethyl, thiobutoxyethyl, and dimethylsiloxane esters of 2-cyanoacrylic acid.

3. The process of Claim 1, wherein the catalyst comprising a lanthanide element has one or more ligands bound to the element(s).

4. The process of Claim 1, wherein the catalyst comprises ytterbium.

5. The process of Claim 4, wherein the one or more ligands is selected from halogens, triflates, mesylates, nitrates or tosylates.