# US 5,344,968 A · Method for producing o-alkoxybenzoic acid

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- Number: US 5,344,968 A
- Document ID: US5344968A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 07/902,820
- Filed: 1992-06-23
- Granted: 1994-09-06
- Earliest claimed: 1991-06-27
- Assignees: Nippon Chemical Industrial Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Suchart Lilitkarntakul; Shukichi Nabekawa; Masao Takada; Katsuyuki Ogura
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5344968A

## CPC

- C07C 51/367: by introduction of functional groups containing oxygen only in singly bound form
- C07C: ACYCLIC OR CARBOCYCLIC COMPOUNDS

## Abstract

o-Methoxy benzoic acid is produced by reacting chlorobenzoic acids having at least one chlorine atom at least at the ortho position with lower alcohol in the presence of a copper salt and a lower alkyl as a catalyst under moderate reaction conditions. o-Methoxy benzoic acid is useful as an intermediate for pharmaceutical, agricultural chemicals, and the like.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for producing o-alkoxybenzoic acid, comprising reacting o-chlorobenzoic acid represented by the following general formula ##STR7## (wherein X is at a meta- or para position and represents hydrogen or halogen) with a lower alcohol in the presence of a copper salt and a lower alkylamine as a catalyst, wherein the reagent ratios of the copper salt, loweralkylamine and lower alcohol per 1 mol of o-dichlorobenzoic acid are in the range of 0.1-0.5 mol, 1-20 mol and 10-150 mol, respectively.

### Claim 2

A method for producing o-dialkoxybenzoic acid, comprising reacting 2,6-dichlorobenzoic acid represented by the following general formula ##STR8## (wherein X represents hydrogen or halogen) with a lower alcohol in the presence of a copper salt and an lower alkylamine as a catalyst.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1, 2)

The method for producing o-alkoxybenzoic acid claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the lower alkylamine is dimethylamine.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1, 2)

The method for producing o-alkoxybenzoic acid claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the lower alcohol is an alkyl alcohol with a carbon number of 1 to 5.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1, 2)

The method for producing o-alkoxybenzoic acid claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the reaction is carried out in an inert-gas (N.sub.2) atmosphere under agitation for 1 to 50 hours at 5.degree. to 100.degree. C.

### Claim 6 (depends on 2)

The method for producing o-alkoxybenzoic acid claimed in claim 2, wherein the reagent ratios of the copper salt, loweralkylamine and lower alcohol per 1 mol of o-dichlorobenzoic acid are in the range of 0.1-0.5 mol, 1-20 mol and 10-150 mol respectively.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1, 2)

The method for producing o-alkoxybenzoic acid claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the reagent ratios of the copper salt and loweralkyl amine per 1 mol of o-monochlorobenzoic acid are half the amount used in the case of dichlorobenzoic acid.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1, 2)

The method for producing o-alkoxybenzoic acid claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the lower alkylamine is monomethylamine.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1, 2)

The method for producing o-alkoxybenzoic acid claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the copper salt is cuprous chloride, cupric chloride or copper sulfate.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1, 2)

The method for producing o-alkoxybenzoic acid claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the copper salt is cuprous chloride.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1, 2)

The method for producing o-alkoxybenzoic acid claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the copper salt is cuprous chloride and the lower alkylamine is monomethylamine.