Acetonitrile → 3-(3-Methoxyphenyl)-3-oxopropanenitrile

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

To a solution of commercially available 3-methoxy-benzoic acid ethyl ester (3.2 g, 18 mmol) in dry toluene (25 mL), under N2, NaH (50-60% dispersion in mineral oil, 1.44 g, 36 mmol) was carefully added. The mixture was heated at 90° C. and anhydrous CH3CN was added dropwise (4.45 mL, 85.2 mmol). The reaction was heated for 18 hours and the product precipitated from the reaction mixture as Na salt. The reaction was allowed to cool down to room temperature and the solid formed was filtered and washed with ether, then it was redissolved in water and the solution acidified with 2N HCl solution to pH 3 when precipitation of title compound was observed. Filtration of the solid from the aqueous solution afforded 1.57 g of title product (50% yield).

Provenance & Evidence