PURPOSE: To produce, in a high yield, a high-purity trans-1,3-substd.-cyclobutane deriv. useful as a raw material for a liq. crystal substance by reducing a cyclobutene deriv. corresponding to the objective compd. with a specific metal and hydrogen chloride in the presence of an ether or alcohol as the solvent.
CONSTITUTION: A cyclobutene deriv. of formula I (wherein R1 is 1-15C alkyl; X is COOH, COR2, or CN; and R2 is H or 1-5C alkyl) is reduced with M/HCl (wherein M is a metal suitable for reduction and selected from among Sn, Mg, Fe, and Zn) in the presence of an ether or alcohol, pref. a cyclic ether, still pref. tetrahydrofuran, as the solvent, thus efficiently giving a trans-1,3- substd.-cyclobutane deriv. of formula II. The use of dil. hydrochloric acid with a concn. of 10-30%, pref. 15-25%, is pref. in the above reduction.
SUTEFUAN SHIYUMITSUTO
AIKE POOCHIYU
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