Endura Spa

Elisa Poluzzi

Valerio Borzatta

Elisa Capparella

Carlotta Gobbi

A new process for synthesizing 3,4-dioxo-substituted aromatic aldehydes by Oppenauer oxidation of the corresponding benzyl alcohols is described. The process, which specifically uses formaldehyde as hydrogen acceptor, proceeds with unexpectedly high yields and conversion percentages, allowing low cost access to finished and intermediate products of high industrial interest in the field of pharmaceutical products and fragrances.

Process for preparing 3,4-dioxo-substituted aromatic aldehydes

A new high-yield, easily industrialized process for synthesizing compounds of formula (IV), in which Xand X, the same or different, are linear or branched C1-C8 alkyls, n and m are 0, 1 or 2, with the proviso that n and m are not simultaneously 0; or (OX)n and (OX)m taken together form an O-T-O group where T is chosen from &#x2014;CH&#x2014;, &#x2014;CHCH, &#x2014;CHCHCH&#x2014;, &#x2014;C(CH)&#x2014;. The process comprises treating a chloromethyl derivative (I) with an alkaline acetate to form the intermediate acetylderivative (II); the intermediate (II) is to hydrolysed to form the alcohol (III); the alcohol (III) is then oxidised in the presence of air and catalysts to obtain the desired derivative (IV). The process runs its course within a short period of time, with high yields and high selectivity; in addition, the process does not require purification and separation of the intermediates and can therefore be favourably conducted in a single batch. 

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Calderara di Reno, Italy

Elisa Poluzzi