Method of preparing electron deficient olefins

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

(a) providing as reactants an aldehyde compound having the structure R—CH═O, wherein R is hydrogen or vinyl and a primary amine to form an imine;

(b) contacting the imine formed in step (a) with acid to form an iminium salt;

(c) providing a 2-electron withdrawing group-substituted methylene compound and reacting the iminium salt from step (b) therewith to form an electron deficient olefin; and

(d) optionally, separating from step (c) the so formed reactive electron deficient olefin to yield the reactive electron deficient olefin substantially free from reactants and solvent.

2. A process for the preparation of a 2-cyanoacrylate ester, steps of which comprise

(a) providing as reactants an aldehyde compound or a source of an aldehyde compound, and a primary amine;

(b) reacting the mixture of reactants under appropriate conditions and for a time sufficient to yield an imine;

(c) contacting the imine formed in step (b) with acid to form an iminium salt;

(d) providing a cyanoacetate and reacting the iminium salt from step (c) therewith to form 2-cyanoacrylate ester; and

(e) separating from the mixture the so-formed 2-cyanoacrylate ester to yield 2-cyanoacrylate ester substantially free from reactants and solvent.

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

(a) providing an iminium salt and a compound containing a methylene linkage having at least one electron withdrawing substituent attached thereto, wherein the electron withdrawing substituent is selected from the group consisting of nitrile, carboxylic acids, carboxylic esters, sulphonic acids, ketones and nitro;

(b) reacting the iminium salt and the compound under appropriate conditions and for a time sufficient to yield a reactive electron deficient olefin; and

(c) optionally, separating from the mixture the so formed reactive electron deficient olefin to yield the reactive electron deficient olefin substantially free from the iminium salt, the solvent and the compound,

wherein the process is conducted without any added catalyst.

4. The process of claim 1 , wherein the compound containing a methylene linkage having at least one electron withdrawing substituent attached thereto is an ester of cyanoacetic acid.

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

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

(a) providing an iminium salt and a compound containing a methylene linkage having at least one electron withdrawing substituent attached thereto, wherein the electron withdrawing substituent is selected from the group consisting of nitrile, carboxylic acids, carboxylic esters, sulphonic acids, ketones and nitro;

(b) reacting the iminium salt and the compound under appropriate conditions and for a time sufficient to yield a reactive electron deficient olefin; and

(c) optionally, separating from the mixture the so formed reactive electron deficient olefin to yield the reactive electron deficient olefin substantially free from the iminium salt, the solvent and the compound,

wherein the electron deficient olefin is a biscyanoacrylate, biscyanopentadienoate or a bis-alkylene derived from dimalonates or malononitrile.

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

(a) providing an iminium salt and a compound containing a methylene linkage having at least one electron withdrawing substituent attached thereto, wherein the electron withdrawing substituent is selected from the group consisting of nitrile, carboxylic acids, carboxylic esters, sulphonic acids, ketones and nitro;

(b) reacting the iminium salt and the compound under appropriate conditions and for a time sufficient to yield a reactive electron deficient olefin; and

(c) optionally, separating from the mixture the so formed reactive electron deficient olefin to yield the reactive electron deficient olefin substantially free from the iminium salt, the solvent and the compound,

wherein the electron deficient olefin is a compound having one end terminating with a cyanoacrylate, cyanopentadienoate, 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 hetrocylic nuclei, acrylates, cyanoacrylates, siloxanes, blocked and unblocked isocyanates, anhydrides, silanes, vinyls, acetylenes, and epoxies.

8. The process of claim 1 , wherein the electron deficient olefin is a 2-cyanoacrylate.

9. The process of claim 8 , wherein the 2-cyanoacrylate is selected from the group consisting of methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, i-propyl, propargyl, n-butyl, i-butyl, n-pentyl, n-hexyl, 2-ethylhexyl, n-octyl, n-nonyl, oxononyl, n-decyl, n-dodecyl, allyl, ethynyl, 2-butenyl, cyclohexyl, phenyl, phenethyl, tetrahydrofurfuryl, chloroethyl, 2,2,2-trifluoroethyl, hexafluoroisopropyl, methoxymethyl, methoxyethyl, methoxybutyl, ethoxyethyl, propoxyethyl, butoxymethyl, butoxyethyl and dimethylsiloxane esters of 2-cyanoacrylic acid.

10. The process of claim 1 , wherein the acid is the combination of methane sulfonic acid and sulfuric acid.

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

(a) providing an iminium salt and a compound containing a methylene linkage having at least one electron withdrawing substituent attached thereto, wherein the electron withdrawing substituent is selected from the group consisting of nitrile, carboxylic acids, carboxylic esters, sulphonic acids, ketones and nitro;

(b) reacting the iminium salt and the compound under appropriate conditions and for a time sufficient to yield a reactive electron deficient olefin; and

(c) optionally, separating from the mixture the so formed reactive electron deficient olefin to yield the reactive electron deficient olefin substantially free from the iminium salt, the solvent and the compound,

wherein the yield of the reactive electron deficient olefin is greater than 40%.

12. The process of claim 2 , wherein the yield of the 2-cyanoacrylate ester is greater than 40%.

13. The process of claim 2 , wherein the acid is the combination of methane sulfonic acid and sulfuric acid.

14. The process of claim 1 , wherein the yield of the reactive electron deficient olefin is greater than 40%.

15. The process of claim 1 , wherein the iminium salt is provided in a solvent to form a solution.

16. The process of claim 1 , wherein the imine is contacted with acid in a solvent.

17. The process of claim 2 , wherein the imine is contacted with acid in a solvent.

18. The process of claim 7 , wherein the iminium salt is provided in a solvent to form a solution.