SYNTHESIS OF 2-PHENYL SUBSTITUTED-1.3-PROPANEDIOLS This invention relates to a novel method for the synthesis of 2-phenyl substituted-l,3-propanediols. The synthesis of 2-phenyl-l,3-propanediol has, in the past, been carried out in accordance with the procedures such as those described in United States Patent No. 2,884,444.

The principal drawbacks associated with the synthesis disclosed in the prior art are: The starting materials employed in the synthesis, 2-phenyl substituted-1,3- propanediols are obtained by the lithium aluminum hydride reduction of diethyl phenyl substituted malonates. The diethyl phenyl substituted malonates are relatively expensive materials and the lithium aluminum hydride reduction procedure is costly, hazardous and not desirable for the production of large quantities of materials. It has now been found that the hereinafter disclosed route to 2-phenyl substituted-l,3-propanediols is an economical and less hazardous procedure than those presently available which readily lends itself to commercial operation. As used hereafter, the term phenyl substituted shall include halogen, aliphatic, trifluoro methyl hydroxyl, methoxy, alkoxy and the like substituents.

In its first stage the present invention involves preparation of phenyl substituted

nitromethylbenzene by oxidation of a corresponding phenyl substituted benzaldehyde oximes under controlled conditions.

This procedure involves the oxidation of phenyl substituted benzaldehyde oximes to the corresponding phenyl substituted nitro methyl benzenes using peracetic acid and its reaction with formaldehyde to form stable 2-phenyl substituted 2-nitro-l, 3- propanediols. It has been proposed previously to prepare such phenyl substituted nitromethylbenzene by reacting benzylhalide with silver nitrite or sodium nitrite in dimethyl sulfoxide. Such procedures are expensive, give relatively low yields as well as low purity of product. Moreover, the use of dimethyl sulfoxide presents environmental problems. Further, it has been proposed to prepare nitromethylbenzene by the oxidation of benzaldehyde oxime with trifluroacetic acid and a phosphate buffer. This procedure is also expensive and gives low yields.

In accordance with the present invention, the oxidation of benzaldehyde oxime is accomplished by using either 30% or 50% hydrogen peroxide or preferably commercial 35% peracetic in acetic acid as an oxidizing agent at controlled temperatures of from about 80*C. to about 90"C. to obtain high yields of high purity phenyl substituted nitromethylbenzene.

The present invention also includes the further reaction of phenyl substituted nitromethylbenzenes with formaldehyde to obtain 2-nitro- 2-phenyl-l,3-propanediol.

The literature preparation of nitrodiols involves the reaction of nitromethylbenzene with formaldehyde, however, in accordance with the present invention, the reaction has been modified whereby a base such as sodium bicarbonate, sodium carbonate monohydrate, sodium carbonate, or triethylamine is used

as the catalyst in lieu of the previously preferred sodium hydroxide. This change in catalyst has been found to allow a more controlled addition of the nitro compound to the formaldehyde with a lessening in the amount of polymeric materials formed in side reactions. In the first stage, the materials are reduced with a suitable catalyst and hydrogen to remove the nitro group and provide the pharmaceutically useful 2- phenyl substituted-1,3-propanediols. In the past, the removal of an aliphatic nitro group from a molecule have included reacting a tertiary nitro compound with tributyltinhydride. The latter reagent is very costly and not conducive to large scale production. Another method proposed is the hydrogenation of a benzylnitro compound with palladium on charcoal at 1200 psi. Debenzylation occurs however, no yield information is available when the reaction was carried out at 1200 psi. When the reaction was carried out at 50 psi, using palladium on charcoal, a mixture containing debenzylated and amino compounds was formed in quantities which preclude the commercial adaptation of the reaction. In accordance with the present invention, it has been discovered that the removal of the aliphatic nitro group may be carried out by the hydrogenation of 2-nitro-2-phenyl-l,3-propanediol in the presence of a catalyst such as palladium (oxide) in the presence of acetic, benzoic, hydrochloric or other organic or halo acid, but preferably palladium on calcium carbonate at pressures of from about 10 to about 100 psi, preferably 50 psi. The procedure permits the production 2-phenyl-l,3-propanediol of high purity in yields of about 80%. The method allows for large scale hydrogenation in standard reactors, capable of sustaining 125 psi. The method of the present invention is quantitative and precludes contamination of the final product. Moreover, the synthesis is readily adaptable

to commercial scale since the chlorocarbonate solution is easily pumped into ammonium hydroxide and removal of the organic solvents easily accomplished by distillation under reduced pressure. To describe the synthesis of the present invention more particularly, the following non-limiting examples will serve to illustrate the novel synthesis in its preferred embodiments.

EXAMPLE 1 NITROMETHYLBENZENE

184.1 g. (1.51 mole) of benzaldehyde oxime and 185 ml. of glacial acetic acid are placed in a 3 liter 3 neck flask. The mixture is stirred and heated to 80 ^β C. A solution of 344.1 g. (1.65 mole) of 36.6% peracetic acid and 19 g. of sodium acetate trihydrate is added at a rate such that the temperature is maintained between about 80* and about 90*C. Stirring is continued at about 85'C. for about 3-1/2 hours until there is no oxime. The reaction mixture is chilled to 25*C. and one liter of water is added and the mixture stirred well and the oil which forms, is separated. The aqueous layer is extracted twice with 200 ml. of ethylene chloride. The aqueous extract is combined with the oil layer and washed twice with 600 ml. of water and once with 600 ml. of 5% sodium bicarbonate solution, washed again with 400 ml. of water, and dried over sodium sulfate and concentrated to a light orange oil. The yield is 173.5 g. (84%) of 97% pure material by GC.

EXAMPLE 2 2-NITRO-2 PHENYL-1.3-PROPANEDIOL

100 g. (0.73 mole) of nitromethylbenzene, 131.5 g. (1.61 mole) of 37% formaldehyde and 1.8 g. of sodium carbonate monohydrate are placed in a 500 ml. beaker equipped with a mechanical stirrer. The mixture is stirred, the temperature rises to 38*C. and is maintained at 38 ' C. by using a cold water bath. After 1-1/2 hours, crystals begin to form. The mixture is diluted with 210 ml. of

ice water and stirred at 10 ^β C. for about 2 hours. The mixture is filtered and the filtrate washed with water. The damp cake is placed back in the beaker and 280 ml. of ice water is added. The mixture is stirred for 1 hour, filtered and air dried overnight. The solid is stirred with 250 ml. of toluene for about 1 hour at 10*C. and filtered, then washed with cold toluene and dried. The yield is 112.6 g. of nitrophenyldiol (78%), M.P. 96-97.5'C. EXAMPLE 3

2-PHENYL-1.3-PR0PANEDI0L 12 g. (0.06 mole) of 2-nitro-2-phenyl-l,3-propanediol, 400 mg. of 5% palladium on calcium carbonate and 150 ml. of methanol are placed in a Parr hydrogenator bottle and reduced with hydrogen overnight. The mixture is filtered through Celite, concentrated to an oil and recrystallized from 30 ml. of toluene. The yield is 7.4 g. (80%) of product, M.P. 52-4'C.

It should be understood that the above examples are illustrative of the best mode only of the invention herein disclosed. Given the present disclosure, it is anticipated that numerous variations will occur to those skilled in the art. A latitude of modification, substitution and change is intended and in some instances, some features of the invention will be employed without a corresponding use of other features. Accordingly, it is intended that the spirit and scope of the invention disclosed herein should be limited only by the following claims.