Process for preparing p-nitroaromatic amides and products thereof

Abstract

A process for preparing p-nitroaromatic amides is provided which comprises contacting an amide and nitrobenzene in the presence of a suitable solvent system, and reacting the amide and nitrobenzene in the presence of a suitable base and a controlled amount of protic material at a suitable temperature in a confined reaction zone. The p-nitroaromatic amides of the invention can be reduced to p-aminoaromatic amides. In one embodiment, the p-aminoaromatic amide is further reacted with ammonia under conditions which produce the corresponding p-aminoaromatic amine and the amide starting material which can be recycled or with water in the presence of a suitable basic or acidic catalyst under conditions which produce the corresponding p-aminoaromatic amine and the acid or salt thereof corresponding to the amide starting material. In another embodiment, the p-aminoaromatic amine is reductively alkylated to produce alkylated p-aminoaromatic amine. The p-nitroaromatic amide can be reacted with ammonia under conditions which produce the corresponding p-nitroaromatic amine and the amide starting material which can be recycled or with water in the presence of a suitable basic or acidic catalyst under conditions which produce the corresponding p-nitroaromatic amine and the acid or salt thereof corresponding to the amide starting material. In one embodiment, the p-nitroaromatic amine is reduced to produce p-aminoaromatic amine. In another embodiment, the p-aminoaromatic amine is reductively alkylated to produce alkylated p-aminoaromatic amine. In another embodiment, the p-nitroaromatic amine is reductively alkylated to produce p-aminoaromatic amine.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.