| abstract |
Optically active α-aromatic group-substituted alkanoic acids in the form of their esters of the general formula :. wherein Ar is an aromatic group, R is a saturated aliphatic group, R 2 is a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group or a hydroxyalkyl group and indicates an asymmetric carbon atom, as well as pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof. The compounds of formula (II) are useful as pharmaceuticals, e.g. anti-inflammatory, analgesic and anti-pyretic agents and as insecticides and are prepared by rearrangement of optically active 1-aromatic group-substituted-1-alkanones of the general formula. wherein X is a halogen atom or a sulfonyloxy group and Ar, R and * are as indicated above. Furthermore, the preparation of the above-mentioned alkanones of the general formula (I) is described, which are useful intermediates for the preparation of alkanoic acids of the general formula (II). |