Potassium Cyanide → 2-(3-Iodophenyl)acetonitrile

Participants

Reaction Steps

A mixture of potassium cyanide (4 g) and tetra-n-butylammonium bromide (0.32 g) in water (20 ml) was added to a solution of 3-iodobenzyl bromide (5.92 g) in methylene chloride (20 ml) and the mixture was heated to reflux for 2 hours. The organic phase was separated, washed with water, dried (MgSO4) and evaporated. The residue was purified by column chromatography using methylene chloride as eluent to give 3-iodophenylacetonitrile (4.4 g).

Provenance & Evidence