Sodium Cyanide → 2-(4-Bromo-3-fluorophenyl)acetonitrile

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

This crude benzyl bromide (27 mmol) and sodium cyanide (2.38 g, 54 mmol, 2.0 eq.) were combined in ethanol (100 mL) and heated at 80° C. for 2 h. The reaction mixture was concentrated to dryness in vacuo, suspended in water, and extracted with ethyl acetate. Washing with brine and drying over Na2SO4 gave, after removal of the solvent, a red oil which was purified using silica gel chromatography (gradient of 2→12% ethyl acetate/hexanes) to provide 3-fluoro-4-bromophenylacetonitrile as white needles (1.96 g, 35% over 2 steps).

Provenance & Evidence