Sodium Cyanide → 2-(4-Bromo-2-fluorophenyl)acetonitrile

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

To a stirred solution of 4-bromo-2-fluoro benzyl bromide (1.5 g, 5.6 mmol) in DMF (50 mL) was added sodium cyanide (0.8 g, 16.8 mmol). The resulting mixture was stirred at 90° C. for 1 h, cooled at rt and quenched with brine (50 mL). After extraction with EtOAc (3×50 mL), the organic layers were combined, washed with brine (50 mL), dried (MgSO4), and concentrated in vacuo. The residue was purified by chromatography on silica gel using a mixture of hexanes:EtOAc (5:1) to afford 4-bromo-2-fluoro benzyl cyanide as yellow solid. MS (ESI) 307 (M+H)+.

Provenance & Evidence