Process for the production of chloropyridines substituted by methyl, trichloromethyl or trifluoromethyl groups

Abstract

Chloropyridines of the formula ##STR1## wherein either R is chlorine and R' is methyl or trifluoromethyl, or R is methyl, trichloromethyl or trifluoromethyl and R' is chlorine, or R and R' are methyl, can be obtained by a novel, simple process by the addition of trichloroacetaldehyde to methacrylonitrile or .alpha.-trifluoromethacrylonitrile, 2,2-dichloropropionaldehyde, pentachloropropionaldehyde or 2,2-dichloro-3,3,3-trifluoropropionaldehyde to acrylonitrile, or 2,2-dichloropropionaldehyde to methacrylonitrile, in the presence of a catalyst, in particular copper powder or copper(I) chloride, and cyclizing the open-chain intermediate obtained. The chloropyridines of the formula (I) are known per se and are suitable for the production of different compounds, in particular of insecticides and herbicides.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.