Sodium Cyanide → (4-tert-Butylphenyl)acetonitrile

Participants

Reaction Steps

A mixture consisting of 107 g p-tert.butylbenzyl bromide, 2 g tetra butyl-ammonium jodide and 37 g NaCN in 50 ml water was heated during 1 hour at 100° C. After cooling the reaction mixture, the organic layer was separated and distilled in vacuo with a yield of 78 g of the desired cyanide. Then this product was fractionated in vacuo. Yield of p-tert.butylbenzyl cyanide: 65 g (80%): boiling point: 118° C./0,7 kPa: nD =1,5110. This cyanide has a very strong odor which reminds one of algae, seaweed and ozone with ambergris-like, fatty and animal notes.

Provenance & Evidence