Phenylacetonitrile → Diethyl 4-cyano-4-phenylheptanedioate

Participants

Reaction Steps

The required diethyl γ-cyano-γ-phenylpimelate was prepared by reacting phenylacetonitrile with ethyl acrylate according to the general method of Koelsch, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 65, 437 (1943). This product, boiling point 148°-151° C. at 0.04 mm [Branchini et al., Ann. Chim. (Rome) 51, 1382 (1961) report 170°-172° C. at 0.2 mm] was obtained in addition to the mono-Michael addition product reported by Koelsch.

Provenance & Evidence