Acetone → 2-Methyl-2-(pyrrolidin-1-yl)propanenitrile

Participants

Reaction Steps

To a stirred, ice-cooled mixture of pyrrolidine (8.35 ml; 0.1 mol) and acetone (7.34 ml; 0.1 mol) was added a solution of potassium cyanide (6.51 g; 0.1 mol) in water (50 ml) dropwise over 10 min. After stirring at room temperature overnight, the crude reaction mixture was extracted with diethyl ether (2×250 ml) and the combined extracts washed with saturated brine (150 ml), dried (MgSO4), and evaporated under reduced pressure to afford the title product as a pale green liquid (10.7 g; 78%) which was used without further purification. 1H NMR (CDCl3) δ: 1.51 (6H, s), 1.80-1.90 (4H, m), 2.70-2.80 (4H, m).

Provenance & Evidence