Phenacyl bromide → Ethyl 2-cyano-4-oxo-4-phenylbutanoate

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

Potassium carbonate (13.82 g) was added to ethyl cyanoacetate (37 mL), and the mixture was stirred at 40-45° C. for 45 min. A solution (100 mL) of phenacyl bromide (10.0 g) in acetone was added dropwise over 30 min. After completion of the dropwise addition, and the mixture was stirred at room temperature for 18 hr. The reaction mixture was filtered, and the filtrate was concentrated under reduced pressure. Water was added to the residue, and the mixture was extracted with ethyl acetate. The extract was washed with saturated brine, dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate, and concentrated under reduced pressure. Excess ethyl cyanoacetate contained in the obtained oil was evaporated under reduced pressure, and the residue was purified by silica gel column chromatography (eluent: hexane-ethyl acetate=8:1→1:1) to give the title compound as a pale-yellow oil (yield 10.41 g, 90%).

Provenance & Evidence