PURPOSE: To prepare the titled compound economically, in an industrial scale, by the two-step reaction of an acrylonitrile derivative with concentrated hydrochloric acid wherein the reaction temperature is set to a specific level in each step, and carrying out the addition reaction in the former step and the hydrolysis of the addition reaction product in the latter step.
CONSTITUTION: An acrylonitrile derivative of formulaI(R1WR3 are H, 1W6C straight-chain or branched-chain lower alkyl or phenyl) is made to react with concentrated hydrochloric acid at 30W90°C, preferably 40W80°C. The addition reaction to the double bond of the compound of formulaIproceeds preferentially by the process. Thereafter, the reaction temperature is raised to 60W110°C, preferably 80W110°C to hydrolyze the addition reaction product. The β-chloropropionic acid derivative of formula II useful as an intermediate of a remedy for gastroenteric spasm and Parkinson's disease can be prepared easily by this process. The process has various advantages such as easily available low-cost raw material, easy recovery of by-products, and easy extraction of the objective product, etc.
NODA EIICHI
NOGUCHI YOSHIAKI
KAWASAKI NOBORU
