Phosphorus sulfide (P2S5) → 2-(4-Isobutylphenyl)propiononitrile

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

A crude solution of 410 mg (2.0 mmol) of 1-cyano-1-hydroxy-1-(4-isobutylphenyl)ethane (IBACH) in 5 mL of toluene was treated under nitrogen with 450 mg (1.0 mmol) of a finely-ground commercial phosphorus pentasulfide which is a mixture of tetraphosphorus decasulfide and tetraphosphorus nonasulfide. The reaction mixture was stirred well and heated in an 85° C. bath for one hour. GC analysis of the crude reaction product indicated that the reaction resulted in the formation of 1-cyano-1-(4-isobutylphenyl)ethane (PN) and 2-(4-isobutylphenyl)acrylonitrile (UN) in a ratio of 2/1.

Provenance & Evidence