Process for preparing electron deficient olefins

1. A process for the preparation of a reactive electron deficient olefin, steps of which comprise:

(a) reacting a cyanoacetate and a source of aldehyde, in the presence of a catalyst comprising a lanthanide element or a transition element selected from the group consisting of niobium, zirconium or scandium, under appropriate conditions and for a time sufficient to yield a cyanoacrylate;

(b) optionally, separating therefrom the so formed cyanoacrylate substantially free from the cyanoacetate, the source of aldehyde and/or the catalyst, and by-products.

2. A process for the preparation of a reactive electron deficient olefin, steps of which comprise:

(a) reacting an electron deficient olefin precursor and a source of aldehyde, in the presence of a catalyst comprising a lanthanide element or a transition element selected from niobium, zirconium or scandium, under appropriate conditions and for a time sufficient to yield an electron deficient olefin;

(b) optionally, separating therefrom the so formed electron deficient olefin substantially free from the electron deficient olefin precursor, the source of aldehyde and/or the catalyst, and by-products.

3. The process of claim 2 , wherein the electron deficient olefin precursor is an ester of cyanoacetic acid.

4. The process of claim 1 , wherein the aldehyde compound is a member selected from the group consisting of paraformaldehyde, formalin, 1,3,5-trioxan, methylene diacetate, dimethoxymethane and acrolein.

5. A process for the preparation of a reactive electron deficient olefin, steps of which comprise:

(a) reacting an electron deficient olefin precursor and a source of aldehyde, 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;

(b) optionally, separating therefrom the so formed electron deficient olefin substantially free from the electron deficient olefin precursor, the source of aldehyde and/or the catalyst, and by-products, wherein the electron deficient olefin is a biscyanoacrylate, biscyanopentadienoate, biscyanohexadienoate, or a bis-alkylene derived from dimalonates or malononitrile and combinations thereof.

6. The process of claim 1 , wherein the electron deficient olefin is a compound having one end terminating with a cyanoacrylate, cyanopentadienoate, cyanohexadienoate, or alkylene derived from dimalonate and another end terminating with a group selected from the group consisting of branched and unbranched alkyl esters, esters containing aromatics and heterocylic nuclei, (meth)acrylates, cyanoacrylates, siloxanes, blocked and unblocked isocyanates, anhydrides, silanes, vinyls, acetylenes, and epoxies.

7. The process of claim 2 , wherein the electron deficient olefin is a 2-cyanoacrylate.

8. The process of claim 7 , wherein the 2-cyanoacrylate has as an ester group a member selected from the group consisting of methyl, ethyl, propyl, isoamyl, propargyl, butyl, pentyl, hexyl, octyl, nonyl, oxononyl, decyl, dodecyl, allyl, ethynyl, butenyl, cyclohexyl, phenyl, phenethyl, tetrahydrofurfuryl, chloroethyl, 2,2,2-trifluoroethyl, hexafluoroisopropyl, methoxymethyl, thiomethoxymethyl, methoxyethyl, thiomethoxyethyl, methoxybutyl, thiomethoxybutyl, ethoxyethyl, thioethoxyethyl, propoxyethyl, thioproxyethyl, butoxymethyl, thiobutoxymethyl, butoxyethyl, thiobutoxyethyl, and dimethylsiloxane esters of 2-cyanoacrylic acid.

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

10. The process of claim 1 , wherein the catalyst comprises ytterbium.

11. The process of claim 1 , wherein the catalyst comprises niobium.

12. The process of claim 9 , wherein the one or more ligands is selected from halogens, triflates, mesylates, nitrates or tosylates.

13. The process of claim 2 , wherein the electron deficient olefin precursor is embraced by:

wherein EWG represents an electron withdrawing group selected from cyano or nitrile, alkoxy or aryloxy, carboxyl, sulphonic acids, carbonyls, halogens, nitro, isocyanate, sulfoxide and phosphine oxide; and R here represents straight chain, branched, cyclic or fused C 1-20 alkyl or alkylenyl, C 2-20 alkenyl or alkenylenyl, C 2-20 alkynyl or alkynylenyl, and C 6-20 aryl or arylenyl or C 7-20 alkaryl or alkarylenyl, with or without substitution or interruption by one or more heteroatoms.

14. The process of claim 2 , wherein the aldehyde compound is a member selected from the group consisting of paraformaldehyde, formalin, 1,3,5-trioxan, methylene diacetate, dimethoxymethane and acrolein.

15. The process of claim 2 , wherein the catalyst comprising a lanthanide element or a transition element has one or more ligands bound to the element(s).

16. The process of claim 2 , wherein the catalyst comprises a lanthanide element.

17. The process of claim 2 , wherein the catalyst comprises ytterbium.

18. The process of claim 2 , wherein the catalyst comprises niobium.