Reaction of 4,5-Dihydro-1H-pyrazole-3,5,5-tricarboxylic Acids Esters with Halogens

Esters of 4-R-4,5-dihydro-1H-pyrazole-3,5,5-tricarboxylic acids with chlorine yield esters of 4-R-5-chloro-4,5-dihydro-3H-pyrazole-3,3,5-tricarboxylic acids that at thermolysis provide the esters of the corresponding 2-chlorocyclopropanetricarboxylic acid. The same esters react with bromine in dichloromethane at room temperature to give a mixture of esters of the corresponding 1H-pyrazole-3,5-dicarboxylic acids and 5-bromo-4,5-dihydro-3,3,5-tricarboxylic acids. From 5,5-diethyl 3-methyl 4,5-dihydro-1Hpyrazole-3,5,5-tricarboxylate and N-iodosuccinimide or a system iodine-silver trifluoroacetate we obtained 1,1-diethyl 2-methyl 2-iodocyclopropane-1,1,2-tricarboxylate.