Acetic Acid → (R)-4-[(1-Methyl-2,2,2-trifluoro-ethylamino)-methyl]-benzonitrile

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Reaction Steps

Add sodium cyanoborohydride (3.36 g, 53.5 mmol) to a solution of 4-cyanobenzaldehyde (1.75 g, 13.35 mmol) and (R)-1-methyl-2,2,2-trifluoro-ethylamine hydrochloride (2 g, 13.37 mmol) in methanol (17 mL) containing acetic acid (1.53 mL, 26.75 mmol). Stir the mixture at room temperature overnight. Partition the mixture between 1N aqueous NaOH/DCM (1:1, 500 mL) and extract the aqueous layer twice with DCM. Dry the combined organic extracts over MgSO4, concentrate in vacuo and purify by chromatography on silica gel (120 g) eluting with hexane/EtOAc (19:1, 9:1, 85:15 and 4:1) to obtain the desired intermediate (0.83 g, 27%). MS (ES+) m/z: 229 (M+H)+.

Provenance & Evidence