Potassium Carbonate → 7-(Cyanomethoxy)indole

Participants

Reaction Steps

A solution of 7-benzyloxyindole (0.5 g, 2.24 mmol) in methanol (100 ml) is hydrogenated at 60 psi (4.38 Kg/cm2) over 10% palladium on charcoal (50 mg) for 4 hours. The catalyst is filtered off and the filtrate was evaporated. A stirred solution of the residue and bromoacetonitrile (0.16 ml, 2.3 mmol) in methyl ethyl ketone (5 ml) is heated under reflux with solid anhydrous potassium carbonate (0.62 g, 4.5 mmol) for 2 hours, cooled, poured onto ice-hydrochloric acid and extracted with dichloromethane. The extract is dried and evaporated and the residue is chromatographed on silica in ethyl acetate-hexane (1:2) to give a pale solid.

Provenance & Evidence