ON THE RITTER SYNTHESIS OF N-TERT-BUTYL ACRYLAMIDE .1. REACTION BETWEEN ISOBUTYLENE AND ACRYLONITRILE IN NONAQUEOUS MEDIUM

A reinvestigation of the Ritter reaction between isobutylene and acryl onitrile in excess anhydrous acetic acid and sulfuric acid as catalyst is performed. Irrespective of the working conditions used a mixture o f N-tert-butyl acrylamide and 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane-1-sulfonic acid as reaction products was always found. The previously reported me chanism involving the formation of a stable ''Ritter intermediate'' wa s invalidated. A comparison between the results obtained in excess anh ydrous acetic acid and acrylonitrile is also reported.