A facile synthesis of alkyl substituted maleic anhydrides: radical approach

Synthetic background for the preparation of alkyl substituted maleic anhydrides and maleimides based on radical alkylation of 2,3-dichloromaleic anhydride (maleimide) by hydrocarbons was developed. The best conditions for the selective synthesis of 2-alkyl-3-chloro- and unsymmetrically substituted dialkylmaleic anhydrides were elaborated.