BACKGROUND

Field

[0001] This invention relates to a process for producing cyanoacetates using asparagine as a precursor to

cyanoacetamide , a staring material to form the

cyanoacetates .

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.

[0003] Traditionally, cyanoacrylate monomers have been produced by way of a Knoevenagel condensation reaction between a formaldehyde precursor, such as paraformaldehyde, and an alkyl cyanoacetate with a basic catalyst. During the reaction, cyanoacrylate monomer forms and 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. Thus, it is seen one use of cyanoacetates is in the formation of cyanoacrylates. [0004] Vij ayalakshmi et al . , J. Ad. Sci. Technol . , 4, 9,

733 (1990) describes some approaches to the synthesis of cyanoacetates and corresponding cyanoacrylates, including preparation from chloroacetic acid and its esters by subsequent reaction with sodium cyanide.

[0005] Guseva et al . , Russian Chem. Bull., 42, 3, 478 (1993) describes functionalized cyanoacetates , many of which were used in the subsequent synthesis of

corresponding cyanoacrylates. [See also Guseva et al . ,

Russian Chem. Bull., 43, 4, 595 (1994), and Golobolov and Gruber, Russian Chem. Rev., 66, 11, 953 (1997) .]

Cyanoacetates with siliconised functionalities have been described. See e . g . Senchenya et al . , Russian Chem. Bull., 42, 5, 909 (1993) and European Patent Document No. EP 0 459 617.

[0006] It would be desirable to find alternative synthetic approaches to making cyanoacetates, particularly if such approaches used readily available and inexpensive starting materials. It would be even more desirable if such approaches generated the subject cyanoacetate in high yield, was readily isolated, and used at least starting materials that are recognized as being safe.

SUMMARY

[ 0007 ] At a high level, the inventive process provides for the preparation of a cyanoacetate, steps of which comprise :

(a) contacting asparagine with a halogenating agent in an acidic environment to form cyanoacetamide;

(b) optionally, separating therefrom the so- formed cyanoacetamide;

(c) contacting the so-formed cyanoacetamide with an alcohol, in the presence of a mineral acid to form a cyanoacetate ;

(d) optionally, separating therefrom the so- formed cyanoacetate. The optional first separation step (step (b) ) should yield cyanoacetamide substantially free from the halogenating agent and acid, and by-products . The optional second separation step (step (d) ) should yield the cyanoacetate substantially free from the cyanoacetamide, the alcohol, and mineral acid, and by-products. Steps (a) and (c) should be conducted under appropriate conditions and for a time sufficient to yield the cyanoacetamide and the cyanoacetate, respectively.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[ 0008 ] As noted above, the present invention provides a process for the preparation of a cyanoacetate, steps of which comprise:

(a) contacting asparagine with a halogenating agent in an acidic environment to form cyanoacetamide;

(b) optionally, separating therefrom the so- formed cyanoacetamide; (c) contacting the so-formed cyanoaceta ide with an alcohol, in the presence of a mineral acid to form a cyanoacetate ;

(d) optionally, separating therefrom the so- formed cyanoacetate. The optional first separation step (step (b) ) should yield cyanoacetamide substantially free from the halogenating agent and acid, and by-products . The optional second separation step (step (d) ) should yield the cyanoacetate substantially free from the cyanoacetamide, the alcohol, and mineral acid, and by-products. Steps (a) and (c) should be conducted under appropriate conditions and for a time sufficient to yield the cyanoacetamide and the cyanoacetate, respectively.

[ 0009 ] The cyanoacetate formed by the inventive process may be a Ci-20 alkyl cyanoacetate, a C6-20 aryl cyanoacetate, a C7-20 alkaryl cyanoacetate or a C7-20 aralkyl cyanoacetate, any of which may be substituted by one or more hydroxyl groups or Ci-20 alkyl ether groups.

[ 0010 ] More specifically, the cyanoacetate may be a Ci-20 alkyl cyanoacetate, where the Ci-20 alkyl may be straight chain or branched, contain one or more points of

unsaturation and may be substituted and/or interrupted by one or more heteroatoms or heteroatom-containing groups (such as trimethylsilyl alkyl, like methyl, ethyl or propyl), or substituted by halogens or substituted or interrupted by halogen-containing groups. For instance, the cyanoacetate may be methyl, ethyl, propyls (like n- propyl or iso-propyl), propargyl, butyls (like n-butyl or iso-butyl), pentyls (like n-pentyl or iso-amyl), hexyl, octyls (like n-octyl or 2-ethylhexyl ) , nonyl, oxononyl, decyl, dodecyl, allyl, ethynyl, butenyl, cyclohexyl, tetrahydrofurfuryl , chloroethyl, 2 , 2 , 2 -tri fluoroethyl , hexafluoroisopropyl , alkoxy ether alkyl cyanoacetates (such as methoxymethyl , methoxyethyl , methoxybutyl , ethoxyethyl, propoxyethyl , butoxymethyl , or butoxyethyl) and dimethyl siloxane esters of 2-cyanoacetic acid. This recitation is by no means however exhaustive.

[0011] The cyanoacetate may also be a C6-20 aryl

cyanoacetate such as phenyl cyanoacetate.

[0012] Or, the cyanoacetate may be a C7-20 aralkyl cyanoacetate such as phenethyl cyanoacetate, benzyl cyanoacetate, or toluyl cyanoacetate.

[0013] In conducting the process, cyanoacetamide is formed in step (a) from asparagine and then becomes the starting material or precursor to the cyanoacetate.

[0014] The asparagine should be used in an amount of about 1 equivalent. The term "equivalent" is intended to capture molar equivalent, whenever it is used herein.

[0015] The halogenating agent used in the inventive process may be selected from trihaloisocyanuric acid, N- halosuccinimide , hypochlorites and N-halo-p- toluenesulfonamide salts.

[0016] When the halogenating agent is a

trihaloisocyanuric acid, the halogenating agent may be selected from tribromoisocyanuric acid or

trichloroisocyanuric acid ("TCCA") .

[0017] When the halogenating agent is a N- halosuccinimide , the halogenating agent may be selected from N-chlorosuccinimide or N-bromosuccinimide .

[0018] When the halogenating agent is a hypochlorite, the halogenating agent may be selected from sodium

hypochlorite or calcium hypochlorite. [0019] When the halogenating agent is a N-halo-p- toluenesul fonamide salt, the halogenating agent may be a N- chloro-p-toluenesul fona ide sodium salt.

[0020] The halogenating agent should be used in an amount of about 0.5 equivalent to about 5 equivalents, such as about 1 equivalent to about 2.5 equivalents, based on 1 equivalent of the asparagine.

[0021] The halogenating agent and the asparagine are reacted in an acidic environment. The acidic environment may be created through the addition of an acidic buffer solution. That is, an acidic buffer solution having a pH less than 7 and ordinarily would be made from a weak acid and a salt of a weak acid, such may be the same or

different weak acid as the one used. Thus, a citric acid and a sodium citrate salt would be an acidic buffer solution. Desirably, a dibasic sodium phosphate salt may be used in combination with citric acid.

[0022] The cyanoacetamide so formed may be separated or used in situ. The yield of the cyanoacetamide should be greater than about 70%, such as approaching quantitative.

[0023] When forming the cyanoacetate from the

cyanoacetamide, the cyanoacetamide should be used in an amount of about 1 equivalent against which the other reactants may be measured.

[0024] An alcohol is used to perform the esterification of step (c) . The alcohol chosen may be an alkyl alcohol, an aryl alcohol, an alkaryl alcohol or an aralkyl alcohol. The identity of the chosen alcohol depends on the desired cyanoacetate sought to be prepared. Accordingly, the alcohol may be selected from methanol, ethanol, propanols (such as isopropanol), proparganols , butanols (such as isobutanol), pentanols (such as isoamyl alcohol), hexanols, octanols, nonanols, oxononanols, decanols, dodecanols, allanol, cyclohexanol , tetrahydrofurfurol , chloroethanol ,

2 , 2 , 2-tri fluoroethanol , hexafluoroisopropanol , alkoxy ether alkanols (such as methoxymethanol , methoxyethanol ,

methoxybutanol , ethoxyethanol , propoxyethanol ,

butoxymethanol , or butoxyethanol ) , dialkyl siloxanols (such as dimethyl siloxanol or diethyl siloxanol),

trialkylsilylalkanols (such as tri ethylsilyl ethanol , tri ethylsilylethanol or trimethylsilylpropanol ) , should the corresponding respective alkyl cyanoacetate ester sought to be produced. Or, if the chosen alcohol is an aromatic alcohol, such as phenol, benzyl alcohol or derivatives thereof, then the corresponding aryl

cyanoacetate ester would be formed.

[0025] The alcohol should be used in an amount of about 2.5 to about 25 equivalents, such as about 5 to about 10 equivalents, desirably about 5 to about 7.5 equivalents compared to 1 equivalent of the cyanoacetamide .

[0026] The mineral acid used here in the inventive process may be selected from sulfuric acid, sulfurous acid, sulfonic acid, phosphoric acid, phosphorous acid,

phosphonic acid, hydrochloric acid or hydrobromic acid.

[0027] The mineral acid should be used in an amount of about 0.5 to about 1.5 equivalents to about 1 equivalent of cyanoacetamide, such as in an amount of about 0.6 to about 1.2 equivalents to about 1 equivalent of cyanoacetamide, desirably about 0.6, about 0.9 or about 1.2 equivalents to about 1 equivalent of the cyanoacetamide.

[0028] The alcohol should be used in excess to either or both of the cyanoacetamide and the mineral acid. [ 0029 ] In the inventive process, the cyanoacetate is formed in a yield of about 70% or greater, such as about 90% or greater.

[ 0030 ] While the time of reaction is generally given above, the time may be monitored by reference to the formation of the desired product using NMR spectrometry, as noted in the Examples. The time of reaction may be adjusted depending on the identity of the specific

reactants, the scale of the reaction and whether heat is added to the reaction conditions.

[ 0031 ] For the optional steps of (b) and/or (d)

appropriate isolation and/or separation techniques may be used to isolate the cyanoacetate.

[ 0032 ] The following examples are intended to illustrate but in no way limit the present invention.

EXAMPLES

[ 0033 ] We used reaction conditions reported in J. Le

Notre et al . , Green Che . , 13, 807-09 (2011) with reference to the oxidative decarboxylation of glutamic acid using N- bromosuccimide as a halogenating agent and phosphate-saline buffer at a pH of about 5 to form cyanoacetamide, along the synthetic scheme set forth below:

[ 0034 ] The cyanoacetamide was formed in a yield of about 80%, without isolating the product.

Example 1 : [ 0035 ] To a stirred solution of L-asparagine (3.0 grams, 20 mmol, 1.0 eq) in a pH 5 phosphate buffer (made from citric acid and dibasic sodium phosphate) (90 mL) was slowly added a solution of NBS (10.7 grams, 60 mmol, 3.0 eq) in DMF (20 mL) . The reaction mixture was stirred overnight at room temperature and quenched with sodium thiosulfate until colourless. Neat NMR results suggest that the desired product had been formed with a peak at 3.38 ppm and an estimated conversion of about 80%.

Example 2 :

[ 0036 ] We used reaction conditions reported in Z.-L. Wu et al . , Tetrahedron: Asymmetry, 14, 2133-42 (2003) to esterify the amide of cyanoacetamide, along the synthetic scheme set forth below:

EtOH

Reflux

[ 0037 ] Applying the synthesis conditions of Z.-L. Wu, the ethyl ester of cyanoacetate was obtained. The yields varied, as shown below in Table. The sulfuric acid equivalents were varied as was the time of reaction in the last instance. Table 1 below shows each of the six entries, all having 1 equivalent of cyanoacetamide (30 grams) and 5.75 equivalents of ethanol (94.5 grams) .

Table 1

[0038] From Entries 3-5, it may be seen that only those having about 70% or higher are within the scope of the inventive process. Thus, the mineral acid range of about 0.6 to about 1.2 is seen to be significant in order to obtain the desired yields.

[0039] Confirmation of formation of the ethyl

cyanoacetate was obtained by NMR spectral analyses.