Cesium carbonate → 3-Chloro-5-(2-chloro-3-fluoro-5-methoxyphenoxy)benzonitrile

Participants

Reaction Steps

Under a nitrogen atmosphere, 2-chloro-3-fluoro-5-methoxyphenol (50-2) (6.7 g, 37.9 mmol) was diluted in NMP (40 mL, 0.95 M). To this solution Cs2CO3 (24.73 g, 76 mmol) was added and the reaction was allowed to stir at room temperature for 5 minutes. Then, 3-chloro-5-fluorobenzonitrile (11.81 g, 76 mmol) was added to the reaction and it was then heated to 120° C. After 2 hours the reaction was cooled to room temperature and then diluted with EtOAc (40 mL). It was partitioned with water (20 mL) and then extracted with EtOAc (3×30 mL). The organic extracts were then washed with water (3×20 mL) and brine (1×20 mL), dried over sodium sulfate and concentrated. Silica gel chromatography (1%-15% EtOAc/Hexanes) gave 3-chloro-5-(2-chloro-3-fluoro-5-methoxyphenoxy)-benzonitrile (50-4) (10.4 g, 88%).

Provenance & Evidence