Hydrochloric Acid → Acetonitrile, 2-(2,4,4-trimethylcyclopentylidene)-

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Reaction Steps

1.1 eq. of diethylphosphonoacetonitrile are placed in THF (tetrahydrofuran) under an inert atmosphere. 1.1 eq. of a solution of butyllithium in hexane are added thereto dropwise at approximately 10° C. The mixture is subsequently stirred at ambient temperature for one hour before adding, dropwise, 1 eq. of cyclopentanone A at approximately 10° C. The reaction medium is stirred at ambient temperature for a few hours and is then poured onto a 10% HCl solution. The aqueous phase is extracted three times with MTBE. The combined organic phases are washed with a sodium bicarbonate solution and then with an aqueous sodium chloride solution. After drying over magnesium sulfate, filtering through paper and evaporating the solvent, the crude product is distilled under reduced pressure. A 75:25 mixture of the trans and cis isomers of 2-(2,4,4-trimethyl-cyclopentylidene) acetonitrile is obtained.

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