Triethylamine → 3-(2-Fluorophenyl)propanenitrile

To a solution of 2-(2-fluoro-phenyl)-ethanol (10.00 g, 71.50 mmol) in CH2Cl2 at 0° C. was added Et3N (20.00 mL, 0.14 mol) followed by MsCl (19.00 mL, 0.25 mol). The resulting mixture was stirred for 1 hour, then washed with H2O (3×100 mL) and brine (1×150 mL), dried over MgSO4 and concentrated. The residue was dissolved in DMF and KCN (9.30 g, 0.14 mol) was added. The resulting mixture was stirred at 75° C. for 14 hours. After cooling to room temperature, the reaction mixture was quenched into water and extracted with Et2O (3×300 mL). The combined organic extracts were washed with H2O (2×200 mL), brine (1×200 mL), dried over MgSO4 and concentrated to give the title compound.