Benzaldehyde → 2-Benzylidene-but-3-ynenitrile

Participants

Reaction Steps

To a solution of benzaldehyde (2 g; 18.9 mmol) and malononitrile (1.37 g; 20.7 mmol) in ethanol (40 ml) was added 5 drops of piperidine and the mixture was heated at reflux overnight. The reaction was cooled, evaporated then purified by flash column chromatography eluting with 1:9 ethyl acetate/hexane and the product containing fractions combined and evaporated to give 930 mg of 2-benzylidene-but-3-yne nitrile.

Provenance & Evidence