Process to chloroketones using oxazolines

A process for the preparation of an .alpha.-chloroketone compound of formula (I) comprising the steps of

• (i) cyclizing an alkynyl amide of formula (II) using a mild aqueous base in the presence of an organic solvent and a phase transfer agent to form a 5-methyleneoxazoline of formula (III) ##STR19## (ii) chlorinating the 5-methyleneoxazoline of formula (III) in a solvent using trichloroisocyanuric acid to produce a chlorinated oxazoline intermediate of formula (IV) ##STR20## and (iii) hydrolyzing the chlorinated oxazoline intermediate of formula (IV) with an aqueous acid to produce the desired monochloroketone of formula (I) ##STR21## wherein Z is alkyl or substituted alkyl, aryl or substituted aryl, heteroaryl or substituted heteroaryl or phenylene,
• R is a hydrogen atom or alkyl, and
• R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are each independently an alkyl or substituted alkyl group, or R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 together with the carbon atom to which they are attached form a cyclic structure.