3,5-Dibromotoluene → 3-Bromo-5-methylbenzonitrile

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

To a solution of 3,5-dibromotoluene (10.00 g) in 1-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (70 ml) was added copper (I) cyanide (5.20) and the mixture was stirred at 200° C. for 1.5 hours. The reaction mixture was cooled to room temperature and partitioned between water and ethyl acetate. The extract was washed with 1M hydrochloric acid, water and brine, dried over anhydrous magnesium sulfate and then concentrated in vacuo. The residue was purified by chromatography on a silica gel column using hexane/ethyl acetate=9/1 as an eluant to give the desired compound (1.70 g, yield 21%).

Provenance & Evidence