Abstract
The WILLGERODT reaction has been applied to the synthesis of glutaric acid from levulinic acid in two methods; i) Levulinic acid was heated with sulfur and ammonium polysulfide in an autoclave, and the yield of glutaric acid was 18% of the theoretical amount, ii) levulinic acid and methyl levulinate was heated under reflux with sulfur morpholine. The yield of glutaric acid was 18%o from free acid (ca. 1% of succinic acid wrs obtained as the by-product) and 20% from methyl levulinate. This is one of the few examples which have ever been applied to the aliphatic compounds.
