Process for preparing electron deficient olefins

1. A one-pot process for the preparation of a cyanoacrylate, steps of which comprise:

(a) reacting the ester of cyanoacetic acid and an alcohol, in the presence of a catalyst comprising a lanthanide element, wherein the lanthanide element comprises ytterbium, and wherein the alcohol is present in an amount of from 0.5 equivalents to 2 equivalents relative to said ester, under appropriate conditions and for a time sufficient to yield a cyanoacetate different from the ester of cyanoacetic acid;

(b) reacting the so-formed cyanoacetate from step (a) with a source of aldehyde selected from the group consisting of formaldehyde, paraformaldehyde, formalin, 1,3,5-trioxane, methylene diacetate, dimethoxymethane, and acrolein in the presence of a catalyst comprising a lanthanide element, wherein the lanthanide element comprises ytterbium, under appropriate conditions and for a time sufficient to yield a cyanoacrylate; and

(c) optionally, separating from the reaction mixture the so-formed cyanoacrylate to be substantially free from the ester of the cyanoacetic acid, the alcohol, the catalyst(s) and/or the cyanoacetate, and by-products.

2. A one-pot process for the preparation of an electron deficient olefin, steps of which comprise:

(a) providing as reactants:

(i) a 2-electron withdrawing group-substituted methylene compound embraced by:

wherein EWG represents an electron withdrawing group selected from the group consisting of cyano, halogens, nitro, isocyanate, sulfoxide and phosphine oxide; and R here represents straight chain, branched, cyclic or fused C 1-20 alkyl, C 2-20 alkenyl, C 2-20 alkynyl, and C 6-20 aryl or C 7-20 alkaryl, with or without substitution or interruption by one or more heteroatoms; and

(ii) an alcohol;

wherein the alcohol is present in an amount of from 0.5 equivalents to 2 equivalents relative to the 2-electron withdrawing group-substituted methylene compound;

(b) reacting the 2-electron withdrawing group-substituted methylene compound and the alcohol in the presence of a catalyst comprising a lanthanide element or a transition element, under appropriate conditions and for a time sufficient to yield an electron deficient olefin precursor embraced by:

wherein EWG represents an electron withdrawing group selected from the group consisting of cyano, halogens, nitro, isocyanate, sulfoxide and phosphine oxide; and R here represents straight chain, branched, cyclic or fused C 1-20 alkyl, C 2-20 alkenyl, C 2-20 alkynyl, and C 6-20 aryl or C 7-20 alkaryl, with or without substitution or interruption by one or more heteroatoms, provided it is different from R in step (a)(i);

(c) reacting the electron deficient olefin precursor and a source of aldehyde selected from the group consisting of formaldehyde, paraformaldehyde, formalin, 1,3,5-trioxane, methylene diacetate, dimethoxymethane, and acrolein in the presence of a catalyst comprising a lanthanide element wherein the lanthanide element comprises ytterbium, under appropriate conditions and for a time sufficient to yield an electron deficient olefin; and

(d) optionally, separating from the reaction mixture the so-formed electron deficient olefin to be substantially free from the reactants and by-products.

3. The one-pot process of claim 1 , wherein the catalyst comprising a lanthanide element has one or more ligands bound to the element(s).

4. The one-pot process of claim 3 , wherein the one or more ligands is selected from halogens, triflates, nitrates, mesylates or tosylates.

5. The one-pot process of claim 1 , wherein the alcohol is any mono-, di- or multi-functional hydroxyl compound.

6. The one-pot process of claim 1 , wherein the alcohol is any mono-, di- or multi-functional C 1-20 alkanol, C 2-20 alkenol, C 2-20 alkynol.

7. The one-pot process of claim 1 , wherein the alcohol is an aromatic alcohol.

8. The one-pot process of claim 1 , wherein the alcohol is phenol or benzyl alcohol.