Toluene → 3-(3-Methoxyphenyl)-2-propenenitrile

3-Methoxybenzaldehyde (20.8 g, 0.15 mol) was treated with toluene (dry, 140 mL), pyridine (dry, 60 mL), ammonium acetate (0.59 g) and cyanoacetic acid (11.9 g, 0.14 mol) and then heated under reflux with a Dean-Stark trap for 71 h according to the procedure of Montgomery et. al (J. Med. Chem. 1993, 36, 55). The reaction mixture was concentrated under reduced pressure. The residue was dissolved in dichloromethane and washed with 10% aq. HCl, dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate and concentrated under reduced pressure. The crude product was purified by flash chromatography on silica gel, eluting with 2-5% EtOAc in hexanes to give 3-methoxycinnamonitrile, 14.65 g (60%). This material was dissolved in EtOH (75 mL) and conc. HCl (15 mL) and hydrogenated with 10% Pd/C (2.0 g) at 70 psi on a Parr shaker for 67 h. The reaction mixture was filtered over Celite. The filtrate was extracted with EtOAc, and the EtOAc layer was concentrated under vacuum to give the hydrochloride salt of 3-(3-methoxyphenyl)propylamine as a waxy white solid, 17.3 g (93%). HPLC—(Method B)—tr=1.28 min. [M+H]+=166.30. 1H-NMR (300 MHz, CDCl3/CD3OD): δ=7.14-7.19 (m, 1H), 6.70-6.77 (m, 3H), 4.51-4.58 (m, 2H), 3.75 (s, 3H, OMe), 2.85-2.91 (m, 2H), 2.63-2.68 (m, 2H), 1.95-2.01 (m, 2H).