PURPOSE: To mercaptomethylate an aromatic compound, by treating the aromatic compound with a substituted or unsubstituted N,N-bis(acylthio)methylaniline, etc., in the presence of an acidic catalyst to form a mercaptomethylated produce and reductively cleaving or hydrolyzing the product.
CONSTITUTION: An aromatic compound (e.g., aniline, phenol or halo naphthalene) is reacted with a compound of formula I or II (R1 is halogen, alkyl, nitro, amino, H, etc., which are situated at the m- or p-position of the amino group; R2 is alkyl, aralkyl or aryl; R3 is halogen, alkyl, nitro, amino, etc.,) in the presence of an acidic catalyst (e.g., sulfuric acid) to form an acylthiomethylated product, which is reduced with a reducing agent in an etheric solvent or hydrolyzed under an acidic condition to provide a mercaptomethylated product. The above- mentioned method provides the objective compound useful as a raw material for sulfur-containing drugs or agricultural chemicals. The compounds of formulas I and II are novel materials.
SEKIYA MINORU
Next Patent: PRODUCTION OF PHENYLENETHIOETHER OLIGOMER