Ethyl cyanoacetate → 2-(2-Methylpropyl)butanedinitrile

Participants

Reaction Steps

A mixture of ethyl cyanoacetate (73.3 g, 6.48 mol), isovaleraldehyde (613.9 g, 7.13 mol), piperidine (5.5 g, 0.065 mol), and hexane (0.5 L) was placed under reflux with continuous removal of water. When no additional water was collected, the mixture was cooled and distilled under vacuum to remove solvent. Isopropanol (1 L) was added to the remaining oil, followed by a solution of potassium cyanide (422 g, 6.48 mol) in water (2 L). The reaction mixture was maintained below 35° C. during addition of the potassium cyanide solution and then held at approximately 35° C. for 4 h. The reaction mixture was distilled at atmospheric pressure until a temperature of 95° C. was reached and then refluxed at this temperature for 5 h. The reaction mixture was cooled, diluted with water (0.5 L) and extracted with 1 L methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE). The MTBE extract was washed with water (0.5 L), dried over anhydrous magnesium sulfate, filtered, and concentrated under vacuum to give 873.4 g of 2-isobutyl-succinonitrile as an oil. Purified samples of 2-isobutyl-succinonitrile can be obtained by vacuum distillation (90° C. at 0.275 mm Hg).

Provenance & Evidence