| abstract |
A process for producing an a-arylalkanoic acid ester represented by the general formulawherein Ar represents an aryl group which may optionally be substituted, and R' and R<sup>2</sup>, independently from each other, represents a lower alkyl group, which comprises reacting a Grignard reagent prepared from an aryl halide of the general formulawherein Ar is as defined above and X<sup>1</sup> represents a halogen atom, and magnesium, with an a-haloalkanoic acid ester of the general formulawherein R' and R<sup>2</sup> are as defined above, and X<sup>2</sup> represents a halogen atom, said reaction of the Grignard reagent with the a-haloalkanoic acid ester of general formula (III) being carried out in the presence of a nickel compound. |