Water → 1-(Diphenylmethyl)azetidine-3-carbonitrile

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

Water (7.2 ml) and sodium cyanate (3.48 g) were added to a solution of 1-benzhydryl-3-(methanesulfonyloxy)azetidine (7.52 g) in N,N-dimethylformamide (60 ml), followed by stirring at 65° C. for 9 hours. Water, sodium carbonate and ethyl acetate were added to the reaction mixture, which was partitioned. The aqueous layer was extracted with ethyl acetate. The organic layer was collected, washed with brine, and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. This was concentrated under reduced pressure, and the resultant crystals were suspended by addition of diethyl ether (10 ml). The crystals were collected by filtration, and washed with diethyl ether. This was dried under aeration to give the title compound (5.43 g, 92.3%) as pale yellow crystals.

Provenance & Evidence