Water → N-(Cyanomethyl)-phthalimide

Participants

Reaction Steps

To a solution of bromoacetonitrile (22 g) in N,N-dimethylformamide (200 mL) was added potassium phthalimide (34 g) under ice-cooling, and the mixture was stirred at room temperature for 3 hr. Water was added to the reaction mixture, and the mixture was extracted with ethyl acetate. The extract was washed with saturated aqueous sodium hydrogen carbonate solution, water and saturated brine, dried over anhydrous magnesium sulfate, and concentrated under reduced pressure. The residue was recrystallized from ethanol to give the title compound as white crystals (yield 27 g, 80%).

Provenance & Evidence