Benzyl Chloride → 4-Benzyloxybenzonitrile

Participants

Reaction Steps

4-Cyanophenol (95.2 g), benzyl chloride (127 g) and potassium carbonate (138 g) are refluxed in acetone (160 ml) for 5 hours. The product is separated by filtration, concentrated under reduced pressure, and thereto is added benzene. The mixture is washed with water, and benzene is distilled off under reduced pressure to give 4-benzyloxy-benzonitrile (141.38 g). The 4-benzyloxybenzonitrile (141 g) is dissolved in benzene (338 ml) and thereto is added ethanol (270 ml), and the mixture is cooled to 0° C. Into the resulting slurry is bubbled hydrogen chloride gas (36 liters) with stirring, and thereafter, the temperature is raised to 25° C., and the mixture is allowed to stand for 2 days. The reaction mixture is concentrated under reduced pressure until 1/3 volume, and to the concentrated mixture is added ether. The precipitated crystals are separated by suction filtration to give an imide ester (183 g).

Provenance & Evidence