Sodium Formate → alpha-Hydroxy-2-nitro-p-tolunitrile

Participants

Reaction Steps

A stirred solution containing α-bromo-2-nitro-p-tolunitrile (1.228 g, 5.095 mmol) and sodium formate (0.8664 g, 12.74 mmol) in ethanol:water (4:1, 25 mL) was refluxed for 2 h. The reaction was cooled to room temperature, diluted with 20% CH2Cl2/EtOAc, washed with H2O (3×), dried (MgSO4) and concentrated. Purification by flash chromatography (1,2 and 3% MeOH/CHCl3 gradient) gave 0.695 g (77%) of the title compound as a white solid. 1H NMR (DMSO-d6) δ4.71 (d, 2 H), 5.75 (t, 1 H), 7.89 (dd, J=7.9 Hz, 1 H), 8.14 (d, J=7.9 Hz, 1 H), 8.32 (s, 1 H).

Provenance & Evidence