Sodium Cyanide → Cypermethrin

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Reaction Steps

A reaction flask, charged with 25 ml 1,4-dioxane and a solution of sodium cyanide (2.4 g, 0.049 mole) in 25 ml water, was cooled to 0°. To the flask was added 3-phenoxybenzaldehyde (7 g, 0.035 mole) in one portion, with stirring. 3-(2,2-Dichloroethenyl)-2,2-dimethylcyclopropanecarbonyl chloride (10 g, 0.042 mole) was added dropwise over a period of 30 minutes. The temperature of the mixture was maintained between 0° and 5°, and stirring was continued for one hour after the acyl chloride had been added. The reaction mixture was then extracted three times with 50 ml portions of diethyl ether. After phase separation, the combined organic layers were washed once with a 2 N aqueous sodium hydroxide solution, three times with 50 ml portions of water, dried over magnesium sulfate, and concentrated under reduced pressure to afford α-cyano-3-phenoxybenzyl 3-(2,2-dichloroethenyl)-2,2-dimethylcyclopropanecarboxylate (11.8 g, 81% yield).

Provenance & Evidence