Hydrochloric Acid → 2-Chloro-3-(2-methyl-3-trifluoromethylphenyl)-propionitrile

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

20 mol of concentrated hydrochloric acid is added at 0°-5° C. to a suspension of 16.7 g of 2-methyl-3-trifluoromethylaniline (0.095 mol) in 50 ml of water and the mixture is then briefly warmed to 60°-80° C. until a clear solution has formed. The solution is cooled very rapidly to 0°-5° C. with vigorous stirring, 22.4 ml (0.286 mol) of acrylonitrile are added dropwise to the fine suspension at 0°-5° C. and a solution of 6.75 g of sodium nitrite in 10 ml of water is then rapidly added, and the mixture is kept at 5° C. for a further 5 minutes and stirred at 20° C. for 1 hour. After cooling, 0.8 g of copper(II) oxide powder is added to the reaction mixture at 0°-10° C. in portions, a vigorous evolution of nitrogen gas occurring. After completion of the evolution of gas, the mixture is stirred for a further 2 hours at 0°-10° C., then for 15 hours at room temperature, dichloromethane is added, and the mixture is washed with water, dried over sodium sulphate and concentrated in vacuo. 21.2 g (90% of theory) of 2-chloro-3-(2-methyl-3-trifluoromethylphenyl)-propionitrile are obtained as a brown oil.

Provenance & Evidence