Potassium Cyanide → 2-(2-Chloro-6-methylphenyl)acetonitrile

Participants

Reaction Steps

A solution of 9.4 g of alpha,2-dichloro-6-methyltoluene in 30 ml of 95% ethanol is treated with a solution of 3.8 g of potassium cyanide in 5 ml of water and heated at reflux for 6 hours. The crude product is isolated by pouring the cooled reaction mixture into water and filtering the precipitated solid. Recrystallization from aqueous ethanol gives 4.9 g of pure 2-chloro-6-methylphenylacetonitrile, mp 49°-51° C., in two crops.

Provenance & Evidence