Birch, Stewart, Kolasch & Birch, LLP
Processes for producing .alpha.-cyanohydrin esters and .alpha.-hydroxy acids
 In the presence of a metal catalyst such as a samarium compound, an enol ester compound shown by the formula (1) is reacted with a carbonyl compound shown by the formula (3) and a cyanogenation agent to produce an .alpha.-cyanohydrin ester shown by the formula (4): ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.7, and R.sup.8 are the same or different from each other, each representing a non-reactive atom or a non-reactive organic group; R.sup.2, R.sup.3, and R.sup.4 are the same or different from each other, each representing a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 1 to 5 carbon atoms. By hydrolyzing the obtained compound, the corresponding .alpha.-hydroxy acid or a salt thereof can be obtained. According to the above processes, an .alpha.-cyanohydrin ester and an .alpha.-hydroxy acid can be obtained in high yields. 
Daicel Chemical Industries, Ltd.
C C
C07C C07C
inventional inventional
Yasutaka Tatsuya
Ishii Nakano