Acetonitrile → HCID 59267900, compound

Participants

Reaction Steps

A solution of 3.66 g (14.5 mmol) of 2,2-dimethyl-3-(4-methoxybenzyl-oxy)-propionic acid methyl ester and 1.07 mL (20.5 mmol) of acetonitrile in anhydrous toluene (10 mL) is added dropwise to a refluxing suspension of 0.83 g (20.5 mmol) of sodium hydride (60% dispersion in mineral oil) in toluene (20 mL). After the addition is complete, the mixture is stirred at reflux for 3 h, then allowed to cool to room temperature. The reaction mixture is then diluted with 1M aqueous HCl solution to neutral pH, and extracted with ethyl acetate (3×40 mL). The combined organic extracts are washed with water and brine, then dried over Na2SO4 and filtered. The filtrate is concentrated under reduced pressure to afford 3.95 g of 5-(4-methoxy-benzyloxy)-4,4-dimethyl-3-oxo-pentanenitrile, which is used in the next step without further purification. Yield: assumed quantitative, no spectroscpic analysis performed.

Provenance & Evidence