Sodium Cyanide → 2-Phenylbut-3-enenitrile

Participants

Reaction Steps

12.2 g of commercially available vinylbenzyl chloride (a mixture of 60% of a meta-isomer and 40% of a para-isomer) were reacted with 5 g of NaCN in a mixed solvent of methanol/water=12.2 g/5 g at 64° C. for 12 hours. A reaction product solution was filtered, and the solvent was then distilled off, followed by distillation under reduced pressure, thereby obtaining 8.1 g of vinylbenzyl cyanide (yield 71%).

Provenance & Evidence