Lithium azide → 4-Azidomethyl-2'-cyanobiphenyl

Participants

Reaction Steps

To a stirred suspension of 20 mmole of 4-bromomethyl-2'-cyanobiphenyl [P. E. Aldrich, M. E. Pierce, and J. J. V. Duncia, European Patent Application 291,969 (1988)] in 55 ml of dry DMSO was added 1.23 g (25 mmole) of freshly pulverized lithium azide, and the mixture was stirred at room temperature under N2. Within a few minutes virtually all of the solid had dissolved, accompanied by a mild exotherm, and this was followed immediately by precipitation of product. After 4 hours the solid was collected on a filter and washed with some methanol, then with a relatively large volume of H2O, and finally again with methanol. The solid was air-dried overnight and then dried further in a vacuum oven at 70° C. (<1 mm) to give white crystals, satisfactory purity by TLC (9:1 hexane-ethyl acetate) for use in the next step. From the combined filtrate and washes was recovered a less pure second crop (cream-colored crystals), which was also usable in the next step. Mass spectrum (FAB) m/e 235 (M+ +1).

Provenance & Evidence