Hydrochloric Acid → 5-Cyanoacetyl-furan-2-carbonitrile

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Reaction Steps

To 1,67 g (41.7 mmol, 60% dispersion in mineral oil) sodium hydride in a 2-necked flask fitted with a reflux condenser was added dropwise 150 ml THF and the mixture was then heated to reflux. A solution of 1.0 ml (208 mmol) acetonitrile and 6.30 g (41.7 mmol) 5-cyano-furan-2-carboxylic acid methyl ester in 100 ml dry THF was added dropwise and the reaction mixture heated at reflux for 4 hours. The reaction mixture was then cannulated into a rapidly stirred solution of 1M hydrochloric acid at 0° C. The mixture was extracted three times with ethyl acetate and the combined organic phases dried over sodium sulfate and concentrated in vacuo. Chromatography (ethyl acetate/hexane 1/1) afforded 2.90 g (43%) 5-cyanoacetyl-furan-2-carbonitrile as an orange oil. EI-MS m/e (%): 160 (M+, 19), 120 ([M—CH2CN]+, 100).

Provenance & Evidence