Hydrochloric Acid → 4-Nitro-3-phenethylaminobenzonitrile

Participants

Reaction Steps

A mixture comprising 3-methoxy-4-nitrobenzonitrile (1 g, 5.6 mmol), phenethylamine hydrochloride (1.8 g, 11.2 mmol), 50% sodium hydroxide (0.9 g, 11.2 mmol) and DMSO (3 mL) was heated at 100° C. for 3.5 hours, cooled and poured into a solution of 1N hydrochloric acid (200 mL, 0° C.). The mixture was stirred for 20 minutes to give a precipitate. The precipitate was collected and recrystallized from hot ethanol to provide 4-nitro-3-phenethylaminobenzonitrile (0.78 g, 2.9 mmol) as orange crystals. MS (CI), Calculated for C15H13N3O2, 267.3, Found (MH+): 282. A mixture comprising 4-nitro-3-phenethylaminobenzonitrile (0.75 g, 2.8 mmol), palladium on carbon (100 mg) and 1:1 methanol/THF (100 mL) was hydrogenated under 1 atm for 3 hours, filtered and concentrated under reduced pressure to provide 4-amino-3-phenethylaminobenzonitrile (0.68 g, 2.8 mmol) as a tan solid.

Provenance & Evidence