Acetonitrile → Phenylglyoxylonitrile

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

There were present in a reaction vessel provided with a reflux condenser a mixture of 141 grams (1.0 mole) of benzoyl chloride and 25 ml of acetonitrile and the mixture was heated to 112° C. Then there were added in the course of 60 minutes a suspension of 9 grams of copper (I) cyanide (0.1 mole) and 44 grams of sodium cyanide (1.1 mole) in 79 ml of xylene. The sodium cyanide had 13% with a particle size below 0.1 mm, 41% with a particle size between 0.1 and 0.2 mm, 23% with a particle size between 0.2 and 0.4 mm and 23% with a particle size between 0.4 and 0.8 mm. The temperature of the mixture increased slowly to 128° C. during the addition of the suspension. Then the mixture was held at this temperature for a further 90 minutes and subsequently cooled to 18° C. The salt, chiefly sodium chloride, which separated was filtered off and washed with 25 ml xylene. The filtrate was distilled under reduced pressure. There were obtained 121 grams of pure benzoyl cyanide, corresponding to a yield of 93% based on the benzoyl chloride added. The benzoyl cyanide contained no benzoyl chloride. It had a boiling point of 115° to 117° C. at 45 mbar.

Provenance & Evidence