Methylphenidate → alpha-Phenyl-2-pyridineacetonitrile

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Reaction Steps

U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,507,631 and 2,957,880 disclose synthetic procedures wherein methylphenidate, alternatively known as methyl α-piperid-2-ylphenylacetate, is prepared through a multi-step process in which 2-chloropyridine and phenylacetonitrile initially are coupled to form α-pyrid-2-ylphenylacetonitrile. The resulting α-pyrid-2-ylphenylacetonitrile then is hydrated in the presence of acid to yield α-pyrid-2-ylphenylacetamide which, in turn, is either: (a) catalytically hydrogenated to yield α-piperid-2-ylphenylacetamide and then converted to methyl α-piperid-2-ylphenylacetate, or (b) converted to methyl a-pyrid-2-ylphenylacetate which, in turn, is hydrogenated to yield methyl α-piperid-2-ylphenylacetate.

Provenance & Evidence