Acetic Acid → Methyl 2-cyano-4-methylpent-2-enoate

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

To a solution of isobutyraldehyde (18.2 mL, 200 mmol) in dry benzene (20 mL) was added methyl cyanoacetate (18 mL, 200 mmol), ammonium acetate (2 g) and glacial acetic acid (4 mL). The reaction mixture was stirred at 60° C. for 30 minutes and allowed to cool to room temperature. Excess of solvents was removed in vacuo and the residue was dissolved in EtOAc (200 mL). The organic layer was washed with water, dried over sodium sulfate and evaporated to give 2-cyano-4-methyl-pent-2-enoic acid methyl ester as pale yellow oil. Further purification of the pale yellow oil by distillation (7 mm Hg) gave product 2 (27.4 g, 56%) as colorless oil: 1H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl3) δ 1.16 (d, J=6.6 Hz, 6H), 2.96–3.04 (m, 1H), 3.87 (s, 3H), 7.47 (d, J=10.5 Hz, 1H).

Provenance & Evidence