Process for production of sulfonic acid ester

1. A method for producing a sulfonate ester compound represented by formula (11):

R 4 —SO 2 —OR 5   (11),

wherein R 4 represents

(i) a C 1-12 alkyl group optionally having one sulfo group or —SO 2 —OR 5 as a substituent,

(ii) a C 2-12 alkenyl group, or

(iii) an aryl group optionally having a substituent selected from the group consisting of an amino group optionally substituted by a phenoxycarbonyl group and a C 1-2 alkyl group, where said aryl group is a group selected from the group consisting of a phenyl group, a naphthyl group, a phenanthryl group, and an anthryl group, and

R 5 represents a C 1-12 alkyl group optionally having a group represented by formula (1):

—OR 1   (1),

wherein R 1 represents sulfonyl group represented by formula (2) as a substituent:

—SO 2 —R 2   (2),

wherein R 2 represents a halogen atom, a C 1-12 fluoroalkyl group, or a C 1-12 alkoxy group, and

the R 4 and the R 5 optionally form a group represented by a following formula:

-T 1 -SO 2 —O-T 2 -,

wherein T 1 and T 2 represent each independently a C 1-8 alkylene chain, where the T 1 binds to an adjacent S atom and the T 2 binds to an adjacent O atom, so as to form a ring,

the method comprising:

reacting (a) a compound having a sulfo group (—SO 3 H), which is capable of forming a salt with an organic base, represented by formula (4):

R 4 —SO 2 —OH  (4),

wherein the R 4 is as defined above, and

(b) a compound represented by formula (5):

R 5 —O—R 1   (5),

wherein the R 1 represents a sulfonyl group represented by formula (2) as defined above, and the R 5 is as defined above,

in the presence of an organic base, which is capable of forming a salt with said sulfo group.

2. The method according to claim 1 ,

wherein (a) the compound having a sulfo group represented by the formula (4) and the organic base are mixed, and

then (b) the compound represented by the formula (5) is reacted therewith.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein:

(a) the compound represented by the formula (4) is a disulfonic acid represented by formula (6):

wherein T 1 is a C 1-8 alkylene chain, and

at least one sulfonate ester compound obtained by said method is selected from the group consisting of a compound represented by formula (12) and a compound represented by formula (13):

R 5 O—SO 2 -T 1 -SO 2 —OR 5   (12),

and

HSO 3 -T 1 -SO 2 —OR 5   (13),

wherein R 5 represents a C 1-12 alkyl group optionally having a group represented by the formula (1):

—OR 1   (1),

wherein R 1 represents a sulfonyl group represented by the formula (2) as a substituent:

—SO 2 —R 2   (2),

wherein R 2 represents a halogen atom, a C 1-12 fluoroalkyl group, or a C 1-12 alkoxy group, as defined in claim 1 above.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein:

b) the compound represented by the formula (5) is a compound represented by formula (7):

wherein each R 1 independently represents a sulfonyl group represented by the formula (2) as a substituent:

—SO 2 —R 2   (2),

wherein the R 2 represents halogen atom, a C 1-12 fluoroalkyl group, or a C 1-12 alkoxy group,

T 2 is a C 1-8 alkylene chain, and

at least one sulfonate ester compound obtained by said method is selected from the group consisting of a compound represented by formula (14) and a compound represented by formula (15):

R 4 —SO 2 —O-T 2 -OR 1   (14),

and

R 4 —SO 2 —O-T 2 -SO 2 —OR 4   (15),

wherein R 4 represents

(i) a C 1-12 alkyl group optionally having one sulfo group or —SO 2 —OR 5 as a substituent,

(ii) a C 2-12 alkenyl group, or

(iii) an aryl group optionally having a substituent selected from the group consisting of an amino group optionally substituted by a phenoxycarbonyl group and a C 1-2 alkyl group, where said aryl group is a group selected from the group consisting of a phenyl group, a naphthyl group, a phenanthryl group, and an anthryl group, as defined in claim 1 above.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein:

(a) the compound represented by the formula (4) is a disulfonic acid represented by formula (6):

wherein T 1 is a C 1-8 alkylene chain,

(b) the compound represented by the formula (5) is a compound represented by formula (7):

wherein each R 1 independently represents a sulfonyl group represented by the formula (2) as a substituent:

—SO 2 —R 2   (2),

wherein R 2 represents a halogen atom, a C 1-12 fluoroalkyl group, or a C 1-12 alkoxy group, and

T 2 is a C 1-8 alkylene chain, and

a sulfonate ester compound represented by formula (16) is obtained by the reaction:

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the T 1 and the T 2 represent a methylene group.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the R 1 represents a chlorosulfonyl group or a trifluoromethanesulfonyl group.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the organic base is a secondary amine, a tertiary arm or a quaternary ammonium salt.

9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the secondary amine and the tertiary amine are an amine represented by formula (18):

wherein R 7 to R 9 each independently represent a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group, and the R 7 to the R 9 together with a nitrogen atom, to which these groups bind, optionally form a hetero ring, excepting a case when two or all of the R 7 to the R 9 are hydrogen atoms.

10. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the tertiary amine is pyridine, collidine or lutidine.

11. The method according to claim 8 , wherein quaternary ammonium salt is an ammonium salt represented by formula (19):

wherein R 10 to R 13 each independently represent an alkyl group or an aralkyl group, and A represents a counter anion, and

further, three of the R 10 to the R 13 together with a nitrogen atom, to which these groups bind, optionally form a hetero ring.

12. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the quaternary ammonium salt is pyridinium salt or imidazolium salt.

13. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the A is a halide ion or a hydroxide ion.

14. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the reacting step of (a) a compound haying a sulfo group (—SO 3 H) represented by the formula (4) and (b) compound represented by the formula (5) is carried out in a nonaqueous solvent.

15. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a by-product is not removed from a reaction system.