Heptanedinitrile → 2-Aminocyclohex-1-ene-1-carbonitrile

To cold toluene (20 mL) was added 60% NaH (720 mg, 18.0 mmol) slowly and followed by a solution of 1,5-dicyanopentane (2.1 mL, 16.37 mmol) in toluene (5 mL) slowly at 0° C. The resulting mixture was refluxed for 4 h and cooled to room temperature. The reaction mixture was quenched with ethanol (2 mL), water (20 mL) and acetic acid (2 mL). The organic layer was separated and aqueous layer was extracted with ethyl acetate (3×20 mL). The combined organic layer was washed with brine, dried over anhydrous Na2SO4 and concentrated under reduced pressure. Water was added to the crude residue, then filtered and washed with hexane to afford 850 mg (42%) of 2-aminocyclohex-1-enecarbonitrile (I-7a) as a pale brown solid.