Br[C:2]1[CH:3]=[C:4]([CH2:10][OH:11])[CH:5]=[CH:6][C:7]=1[O:8][CH3:9].[CH3:12][N:13](C)C=O>C(OCC)C.[C-]#N.[Zn+2].[C-]#N.C1C=CC([P]([Pd]([P](C2C=CC=CC=2)(C2C=CC=CC=2)C2C=CC=CC=2)([P](C2C=CC=CC=2)(C2C=CC=CC=2)C2C=CC=CC=2)[P](C2C=CC=CC=2)(C2C=CC=CC=2)C2C=CC=CC=2)(C2C=CC=CC=2)C2C=CC=CC=2)=CC=1>[OH:11][CH2:10][C:4]1[CH:5]=[CH:6][C:7]([O:8][CH3:9])=[C:2]([CH:3]=1)[C:12]#[N:13]To a solution of (3-bromo-4-methoxy-phenyl)-methanol (1 g, 4.607 mmol) in dimethylformamide (10 mL) at room temperature was added zinc cyanide (324.5 mg, 2.764 mmol). The reaction mixture was degassed by passing argon through for 30 min before tetrakis(triphenylphosphine)palladium (319 mg, 0.276 mmol) was added. The reaction mixture was heated at 80° C. for 12 h and stirred at room temperature for 2 d. It was diluted with diethyl ether (50 mL) and washed with sodium bicarbonate solution, brine and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. The solid was then filtered off, and the filtrate was concentrated in vacuo. Purification of the crude residue by flash chromatography (Biotage system, KP-Sil™ 32-63 μm, 60 Å silica gel) eluting with 40% ethyl acetate in hexanes yielded 5-hydroxymethyl-2-methoxy-benzonitrile (385 mg, 51%) as a white solid.
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