4-(.alpha.-hydrocarbyl-.alpha.-cyanomethyl)2,6-di-substituted phenols having the formula ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are the same or different monovalent substituents selected from the group consisting of alkyl, aralkyl and cyclic alkyl radicals and R.sub.3 is selected from hydrogen, hydrocarbyl radicals, substituted hydrocarbyl radicals and hydrocarbyloxy radicals are prepared by reacting a 4-(.alpha.-hydrocarbyl-.alpha.-hydrocarbyloxymethyl)2,6-di-substituted phenol having the formula ##STR2## wherein R.sub.1, R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 are as defined above and R.sub.4 is selected from hydrocarbyl radicals or substituted hydrocarbyl radicals with an alkali metal cyanide or an alkaline earth metal cyanide in a suitable solvent. The 4-(.alpha.-hydrocarbyl-.alpha.-cyanomethyl)2,6-di-substituted phenol thus formed can readily be converted to the corresponding 4-(.alpha.-hydrocarbyl-.alpha.-cyanomethyl)phenol by dealkylating the substituent groups ortho to the hydroxyl group from the 4-(.alpha.-hydrocarbyl-.alpha.-cyanomethyl)2,6-di-substituted phenol which then can be converted on hydrolysis to the corresponding .alpha.-hydrocarbyl-4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid. These acids have utility as insecticidal and acaricidal intermediates and are deemed to have utility as insecticides themselves as are the 4-(.alpha.-hydrocarbyl-.alpha.-cyanomethyl)2,6-di-substituted phenols of the present invention.
本发明涉及一种具有以下结构式的4-(.alpha.-烃基-.alpha.-
氰甲基)2,6-二取代
苯酚:##STR1## 其中R.sub.1和R.sub.2是从烷基、芳基烷基和环烷基基团中选择的相同或不同的一价取代基,R.sub.3从氢、烃基基团、取代烃基基团和烃氧基基团中选择。该化合物可通过将具有以下结构式的4-(.alpha.-烃基-.alpha.-烃氧基甲基)2,6-二取代
苯酚与碱
金属
氰化物或碱土
金属
氰化物在适宜的溶剂中反应制备而成:##STR2## 其中R.sub.1、R.sub.2和R.sub.3如上定义,R.sub.4从烃基基团或取代烃基基团中选择。因此,所得的4-(.alpha.-烃基-.alpha.-
氰甲基)2,6-二取代
苯酚可以容易地通过去除邻位羟基的取代基团转化为相应的4-(.alpha.-烃基-.alpha.-
氰甲基)
苯酚,然后在
水解反应中转化为相应的.alpha.-烃基-
4-羟基
苯乙酸。这些酸具有杀虫和杀螨中间体的用途,并被认为具有作为
杀虫剂本身的用途,就像本发明的4-(.alpha.-烃基-.alpha.-
氰甲基)2,6-二取代
苯酚一样。