4-Benzyloxy-2-methanesulfonyl-6-(3-trifluoromethyl-phenyl)-pyrimidine (92 mg) and sodium cyanide (22 mg) were stirred at room temperature in dimethylsulphoxide (500 μl) for 20 minutes. The reaction mixture was diluted with dichloromethane (40 ml) and washed with water (3×50 ml). Organics were separated, dried over sodium sulphate and solvent was evaporated under reduced pressure to yield crude product (86 mg) as a yellow oil. Purification by flash chromatography on silica gave product 4-benzyloxy-6-(3-trifluoromethyl-phenyl)-pyrimidine-2-carbonitrile (54 mg).
