Development of a Synthetic Process for N-Cyclohexylmaleiamic Acid Isobutyl Ester

For the purpose of development of effective synthetic process of CHMI, a series of experiments were preformed on the preparation of CHMAIE, the intermediate of CHMI. For the first step, CHMA was synthesized by dropwise mixing of cyclohexylamine with maleic anhydride in toluene and 98.2% of theoretical CHMA was obtained by precipitation at 10 .deg. C for 2 hours. The optimum reaction temperature of the esterification, preparation reaction of CHAMIE from CHMA, was 68 .deg. C, and equilibrium conversion at optimum temperature was 98.5%. Equilibrium reaction time decreased with reaction temperature, and 4 hours was taken to reach equilibrium at optimum reaction temperature. Toluene in the final reaction product could be recovered by vacuum distillation. The recovery of toluene was increased with distillation temperature and 98% of toluene could be recovered at 55 .deg. C