4-HYDROXY-2'-NITROBUTYROPHENONE AND TETRAHYDRO-2-(O-NITROPHENYL)-2-FURANOL

The following are claimed: A) 4-hydroxy-2'-nitrobutyrophenone (I); B) tetrahydro-2-(o-nitrophenyl)-2-furanol (II): and C) prepn. of 4-halo-2'-nitrobutyrophenone of formula (III) comprising reacting a cpd. of formula (IV) with a 2-haloethanol cpd. of formula (V) in the presence of an aq. base and a phase transfer catalyst, opt. in the presence of an organic solvent to form (I) and/or (II), and further reacting (I) and/or (II) with a hydrogen halide to form (III). X' = halo; R = 1-4C alkyl X" = Cl or Br. The hydrogen halide is used as an excess amt. and is HCl or HBr. The solvent is water and/or an aromatic hydrocarbon such as toluene. The reaction temp. is 40-130 deg.C. One molar equiv. of the 2-haloethanol cpd. is used. The phase transfer catalyst is benzyltrimethylammonium hydroxide and the aq. base is NaOH. (I) and/or (II) can be prepd. by reacting dihydro-3-(o-nitrobenzoyl)-2(3H)-furanone with an aq. acid selected from sulphuric acid, phosphoric acid and acetic acid, opt. in the presence of an organic solvent.