Potassium Hydroxide → alpha-(2-Chlorophenyl)-alpha-[2-[(1-methylethyl) (phenylmethyl)amino]ethyl]-1-piperidine butanenitrile

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

To a reaction vessel under a nitrogen atmosphere was charged 35.0 kg of pulverized potassium hydroxide (90%) and 34.0 L of dimethyl sulfoxide. A solution of 29.5 kg of α-(2-chlorophenyl)-1-piperidinebutanenitrile (product of Example 3) in 23 L of dimethyl sulfoxide was added while maintaining the temperature below 25° C. A solution of 30.7 kg of N-(2-chloroethyl)-N-(1-methylethyl)benzenemethanamine, monohydrochloride in 112 L of dimethyl sulfoxide was added while maintaining the temperature below 20° C. The mixture was stirred at 25° C. until the reaction was complete as indicated by gas chromatographic analysis (GC Method C). The mixture was cooled and diluted with 122 L of heptane and 200 L of water. The layers were separated, and the organic phase was filtered through a layer of diatomaceous earth. The filter cake was washed with 40 L of heptane. The combined organic phase was washed twice with 70 L of water and dried by azeotropic distillation. The solvent was removed by distillation under reduced pressure to give 49.4 kg (100.0%) of the title product α-(2-chlorophenyl)-α-[2-[(1-methylethyl)(phenylmethyl)amino]ethyl]-1-piperidinebutanenitrile as an oil. Analysis calcd for C27H36ClN3 : C,74.03; H,8.28; Cl,8.09; N,9.59. Found: C,73.35; H,8.36; Cl,7.27; N,9.15. The crude product (oil) was carried forward to the next step without purification. The purity of the title compound was estimated to be >85% based on GC Method C.

Provenance & Evidence