Sulfuric Acid → 2-(4-Hydroxyphenyl)propanenitrile

Participants

Reaction Steps

Finely ground 2-(4-aminophenyl) propionitrile (73 g., 0.5 mole) was suspended in concentrated hydrochloric acid (125 ml.). The stirred suspension was diazotised at 0° - 5°C by the dropwise addition of a solution of sodium nitrite (36.23 g., 0.525 mole) in water (60 ml.) during 1 - 2 hours. The almost clear solution was stirred for a further 20 minutes at 5° - 10°C, then poured into a stirred, boiling solution of concentrated sulphuric acid (250 ml.) in water (2.5 l.). After 6 minutes it was cooled in an ice-bath, then extracted with ether (×4). The combined ether extracts were extracted with 2N-sodium hydroxide solution (×6). The combined alkaline extracts were cooled in ice-bath, acidified with concentrated hydrochloric acid and extracted with ether (×3). The combined ether extracts were washed with saturated sodium chloride solution (×3), dried (Na2SO4) and evaporated to leave a dark brown oil (66.7 g.) which on distillation gave 2-(4-hydroxyphenyl) propionitrile (59.58 g.), b.p. 112° - 122°C/0.125 m.m., m.p. 41° - 46°C.

Provenance & Evidence