The invention belongs to the pharmaceutical manufacturing field, which relates to a novel process for the preparation of substituted phenylacetic acids derivatives, especially relates to the preparation of 2-(4-(2-oxocyclopentyl)phenyl)propanoic acid. The process for the preparation of the precursor form of loxoprofen which use 1,4-di-halobenzyl compounds or disubstituted benzyl compounds as starting material, is through the substitution reaction of cyclopentanone groups or its precursor compounds.
Wherein X is halogen, L1 is a suitable leaving group selected from halogen, OH, OMs, OTs, OTf and the like; L2 is a suitable leaving group selected from halogen, CN, OH, —CH2OH, —CHO, CH3NO2, ester group, —NR4R5, OTf, OTs, OMs, —C═CR6, —C≡CR7 and the like, wherein R4, R5, R6, R7 are short chain alkyl groups; Z is cyclopentanone group and its precursor form selected from
and the like; R3 is short chain alkyl groups. L3 is a suitable leaving group selected from halogen, OH, OMs, OTs, OTf and the like, or organometallic groups. The invention also include the detailed procedure to convert the precursor compounds of cyclopentanone group to cyclopentanone, followed by the transformation of the precursor compounds of loxoprofen to loxoprofen.