Processes for producing cis alkyl-2-methyl-3-pentenoates and isomer mixtures containing high proportions of cis alkyl-2-methyl-3-pentenoates

Claim 1

A process for preparing a mixture containing 80% cis-2-methyl-3-pentenoic acid C 2 -C 6 alkyl ester and 20% 2-methyl-2-pentenoic acid C 2 -C 6 alkyl ester comprising the steps of: a. reacting in the presence of a non-reactive solvent at a temperature in the range of 40°-60°C methyl acetylene with a methyl magnesium halide to form a methyl acetylene magnesium halide Grignard reagent; b. reacting in the presence of a non-reactive solvent at a temperature in the range of 20°-30°C the methyl acetylene magnesium halide Grignard reagent with acetaldehyde to form a 3-pentyn-2-ol magnesium halide salt; c. hydrolyzing said 3-pentyn-2-ol magnesium halide salt with concentrated mineral acid to form 3-pentyn-2-ol; d. reacting said 3-pentyn-2-ol with a halogenating reagent selected from the group consisting of phosphorous trichloride, phosphorous tribromide and SOCl 2 at a temperature in the range of 20°-80°C to form a 4-halo-2-pentyne; e. reacting in the presence of a non-reactive solvent at a temperature in the range of 25°-50°C said 4-halo-2-pentyne with magnesium to form a 4-magnesium halo-2-pentyne Grignard reagent; f. reacting said 4-magnesium halo-2-pentyne Grignard reagent with CO 2 to form a magnesium halo carboxylate salt mixture; g. hydrolyzing said magnesium halo carboxylate salt mixture with aqueous mineral acid at a temperature in the range of 20°-30°C to form a mixture of 2-methyl-3-pentenoic acid and 2-methyl-2,3-pentadienoic acid; h. reacting in the presence of a non-reactive solvent said mixture of 2-methyl-3-pentynoic acid and 2-methyl-2,3-pentadienoic acid with hydrogen; the reaction taking place at a pressure of 20-200 psig and a temperature in the range of 20°-40°C in the presence of a Pd/CaSO 4 catalyst to form a mixture containing 80% cis-2-methyl-3-pentenoic acid and 20% 2-methyl-2-pentenoic acid; and i. intimately admixing said mixture of 80% cis-2-methyl-3-pentenoic acid and 2-methyl-2-pentenoic acid with an alkali metal base and a compound having the formula RX, wherein R is C 2 -C 6 alkyl, and X is selected from the group consisting of chloro, bromo and iodo in the presence of a solvent selected from the group consisting of hexamethyl phosphoramide, a dilower alkyl formamide and dimethyl sulfoxide at a temperature in the range of 0°-50°C.