Acetic Acid → Ethyl 2,6-dicyano-3-methylhex-2-enoate

Participants

Reaction Steps

A mixture of methyl 3-cyanopropyl ketone (55.5 g, 0.5 mole), ethyl cyanoacetate (56.5 g, 0.5 mole), acetic acid (6.0 g, 0.1 mole), ammonium acetate (3.85 g, 0.05 mole) and toluene (50 ml) was refluxed while azeotropically removing the water of reaction formed. After 10 hours the solution was vacuum distilled and a fraction (b.p. 145° C.-153° C., 0.5 torr) was collected. Total yield was 77.0 g or 74.7 percent. Analysis by infrared spectroscopy confirmed the product's identity as:

Provenance & Evidence