Triphenylcarbinol → 2-(1-Trityl-1H-imidazol-4-yl)-benzonitrile

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

To a solution of 4-(2-bromo-phenyl)-1-trityl-1H-imidazole (73.0 g, 163.3 mmol) in dimethylformamide (500 ml) was added copper (I) cyanide (17.5 g, 195.9 mmol). The reaction was heated to ˜80° C. under nitrogen for 14 h. After cooling to about 50° C., the reaction was diluted with toluene (ca. 300 ml) and slowly poured onto ammonium hydroxide (3N, 1.5 L) while stirring vigorously. The mixture was stirred for 40 min and then filtered in vacuo over a bed of celite (slow filtration, required ˜2 h). The phases were separated and the organic layer was washed with brine (75 ml×3) and dried (sodium sulfate). Concentration of the solvent afforded a light brown solid. The crude product contains ˜10–15% of trityl alcohol (by HPLC) and was used without further purification in the subsequent step.

Provenance & Evidence