Process for the manufacture of carotenoids and intermediates therefor

Claim 1

A PROCESS WHICH COMPRISES CONDENSING BILATERALLY AT 15 TO 50*C. IN AN INERT SOLVENT AND IN THE PRESENCE OF A METAL HALIDE ACID CONDENSATION AGENT A MEMBER OF THE GROUP CONSISTING OF 3,8-DIMETHYL-2,9-DI-LOWERALKOXY-1,3,5,7,9-DECAPENTAENE AND 3,8-DIMETHYL-2,9-DILOWERALKOXY-1,3,7,9-DECATETRAEN-5-YNE WITH 1,1-DI-LOWERALKOXY-2-METHYL-4-R-2-BUTENE WHEREIN R REPRESENTS A MEMEBER OF THE GROUP CONSISTING OF THE RADICALS 2,6,6-TRIMETHYL-1-4R1-1-CYCLOHEXYLIDENE, 2,6,6-TRIMETHYL-4-R2-1-CYCLOHEXEN-1-YL AND 2,6,6-TRIMETHYL-1,3,-CYCLOHEXADIEN-1-YL, SAID R1 REPRESENTING A MEMBER OF THE GROUP CONSISTING OF HYDROGEN, OXO, HYDROXY AND LOWER ALKANOYLOXY, AND SAID R2 REPRESENTING A MEMBER OF T HE GROUP CONSISTING OF HYDROGEN, HYDROXY AND LOWER ALKANOYLOXY, TO PRODUCE A MEMBER OF THE GROUP CONSISTING OF 1,18-DI-R-3,7,12,16TETRAMETHYL - 4,6,6,13,15 - HEXA - LOWERALKOXY - 2,7,9, 11,16 - OCTADECAPENTAENE AND 1,18 - DI-R-3,7,12,16-TETRAMETHYL - 4,6,6,13,13,15 - HEXA - LOWERALKOXY -2,7,11,16OCTADECATETRAEN-9-YNE WHEREIN R HAS THE SAME SIGNIFICANCE DEFINED ABOVE, HYDROLYZING AND DEALCOHOLIZING THE PRODUCT THUS OBTAINED IN THE PRESENCE OF ACID TO PRODUCE A MEMBER OF THE GROUP CONSISTING OF 1,18-DI-R-3,7,12,16TETRAMETHYL - 2,4,7,9,11,14,16 - OCTADECAHEPTAENE - 6,13DIONE AND 1,18-DI-R-3,7,12,16-TETRAMETHYL-2,4,7,11,14,16OCTADECAHEXAEN-9-YNE-6,13 -DIONE, WHEREIN R HAS THE SAME SIGNIFICANCE DEFINED ABOVE, CATALYTICALLY REDUCING THE 6,13DIONE THUS OBTAINED TO THE CORRESPONDING 6,13-DIOL AND DEHYDRATING THE 6,13-DIOL WITH ACID WHEREBY TWO MOLECULES OF WATER ARE SPLIT OFF WITH CONCOMMITANT ALLYL REARRANGEMENT.