Chloroacetonitrile → (Phenylthio)acetonitrile

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

Chloroacetonitrile (11.4 cc) is added at a temperature in the region of 5° C., in the course of 45 minutes, to a stirred solution of thiophenol (20 g) and a 2M ethanolic solution of sodium ethylate (90 cc). Stirring is maintained for 5 hours at a temperature in the region of 20° C. The reaction mixture is filtered, and the filtrate is evaporated to dryness at 50° C. under vacuum (20 mm Hg; 2.7 kPa). The residue is dissolved in a mixture (30 cc) of cyclohexane and ethyl acetate (70:30 by volume) and the solution is poured onto silica (1,000 g) contained in a column 6.5 cm in diameter. Elution is performed with a mixture of cyclohexane and ethyl acetate (70:30 by volume) as eluent. Phenylthioacetonitrile (14.5 g) is obtained, and is used in the crude state in the subsequent phases.

Provenance & Evidence