Production of carbonyl compounds substituted in .alpha.-position

A process for the manufacture of carbonyl compounds substituted in .alpha.-position and having the formula:

• ##EQU43## where R.sup.1 is an alkyl radical having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, an aralkyl radical having 7 to 8 carbon atoms, a phenyl, o-toluyl, m-toluyl, p-toluyl, .alpha.-naphthyl or .beta.-naphthyl radical which may bear 1 chlorine atom or 1 methoxy group as substituents, the group ##EQU44## where R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl of 1 to 10 carbon atoms, cyclohexyl, benzyl, phenyl, toluyl, p-chlorophenyl, and naphthyl or the radical --OR.sup.5 where R.sup.5 is alkyl of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, R.sup.2 is hydrogen, the radical ##EQU45## where R.sup.1 has the meaning given above, the radical ##EQU46## or the radical ##EQU47## where R.sup.6 is hydrogen or methyl and R.sup.11 is alkyl of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, A is hydrogen, linear alkyl of 1 to 10 carbon atoms, chlorine, bromine, iodine, the radical ##EQU48## or the radical ##EQU49## where R.sup.6 and R.sup.11 have the meanings given above, B is chlorine, bromine, iodine, hydroxy, sulfhydryl, thiocyano, cyanato, nitro, azido, the radical --XR.sup.7 where X is oxygen, sulfur or the radical --SO.sub.2 -- and R.sup.7 is alkyl having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, phenyl, naphthyl, benzyl, or if X is oxygen or sulfur, the acyl radical ##EQU50## where R.sup.8 is hydrogen, phenyl or toluyl, or the group ##EQU51## where R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 have the meanings given above, which comprises reacting a sulfur ylide having the formula:
• ##EQU52## where R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 have the meanings given above and Y is the radical ##EQU53## or the radical ##EQU54## where R.sup.9 and R.sup.10 are linear alkyl groups having 1 to 4 carbon atoms or phenyl radicals, with a solution which contains both an electrophilic agent A' that is converted into said radical A and a nucleophilic agent B' that is converted into said radical B or contains a compound of the type AB capable of reacting both as A' and as B', or first with a solution which contains said electrophilic agent A' and then with a solution which contains said nucleophilic agent B', at temperatures between 0.degree. and 150.degree.C, A' being chlorine, bromine, iodine, cyanogen, cyanogen chloride, cyanogen bromide, an alkyl bromide, iodide, sulfate or sulfonate of 1 to 10 carbon atoms, an aralkyl bromide, iodide, sulfate or sulfonate of from 6 to 15 carbon atoms, or an .alpha.,.beta.-olefinically unsaturated carboxylic nitrile or ester having the formula ##EQU55## where R.sup.6 and R.sup.11 have the meanings given above, the solution of said electrophilic agent A' containing an amount of protons at least equivalent to the amount of nitrile or ester to be reacted if A' is one of the said carboxylic acid derivatives, and B' in said solution being a chloride, bromide, iodide, hydroxide, alkanolate having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, phenolate, sulfide, phenyl sulfide, ethyl sulfinate, naphthylsulfinate, phenyl sulfinate, benzyl sulfinate, cyanide, thiocyanide, azide or nitrite of an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal or ammonium or being an amine having the formula ##EQU56## where R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 have the meanings given above, water, hydrogen sulfide or a compound having the formula H -- X -- R.sup.7 where R.sup.7 and X have the meanings given above.