Sodium Cyanide → (Quinolin-6-yl)acetonitrile

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

To a solution of crude 6-bromomethylquinoline (1.8 g) in 95% ethanol (30 mL) was added NaCN (2.0 g, 40.8 mmol) at room temperature. The mixture was heated at 50° C. for 3 hours and then concentrated under vacuum. Water (50 mL) and ethyl acetate (50 mL) were added. The organic layer was separated and the aqueous layer was extracted with ethyl acetate. The combined organics were washed with brine, dried over Na2SO4 and concentrated under vacuum. The combined crude product was purified by column (Petroleum Ether/EtOAc 5:1) to give 2-(quinolin-6-yl)acetonitrile (0.25 g, 8% over two steps). 1H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl3) δ 8.95 (dd, J=1.5, 4.2 Hz, 1H), 8.12-8.19 (m, 2H), 7.85 (s, 1H), 7.62 (dd, J=2.1, 8.7 Hz, 1H), 7.46 (q, J=4.2 Hz, 1H), 3.96 (s, 2H). MS (ESI) m/e (M+H)+ 169.0.

Provenance & Evidence