Dimethyl Sulfate → 3,6-Dimethoxyphthalonitrile

Reaction equation

S([O:6][CH3:7])(OC)(=O)=O.[C:8](=O)([O-])[O-].[K+].[K+].[C:14]([C:16]1[C:22]([C:23]#[N:24])=[C:21]([OH:25])[CH:20]=[CH:19][C:17]=1O)#[N:15]>CC(=O)CC>[CH3:8][O:25][C:21]1[CH:20]=[CH:19][C:17]([O:6][CH3:7])=[C:16]([C:14]#[N:15])[C:22]=1[C:23]#[N:24]

Participants

Procedure

Dimethyl sulfate (15 mL, 0.16 mol) and anhydrous potassium carbonate (24 g, 0.17 mol) are added to a solution of 2,3-dicyanohydroquinone (3.0 g, 0.019 mol) in 100 mL 2-butanone. The reaction mixture is refluxed for 18 hr. under a stream of argon, cooled to room temperature and the resulting solid is collected by filtration. The residue is added to water (100 mL) to dissolve the potassium carbonate and the resulting insoluble material is collected by filtration and dried under vacuum to yield 3.10 g (88%), m.p. 276°-280° C., 1H NMR (DMSO-d6) in ppm, δ=7.63 (s, 2H), 3.93 (s, 6H).