m-Chlorophenylacetonitrile → (4S)-2-(3-chlorophenyl)-4-hydroxy-6-[(phenylmethyl)oxy]hexanenitrile

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

(3-Chlorophenyl)acetonitrile (8.62 mL, 72.9 mmol) in 100 ml of THF was cooled to −78° C. Butyllithium (35.1 mL, 56.1 mmol, 1.6 M in THF) was added over 20 minutes and stirred for an additional 15 min at −78° C. (2R)-2-{2-[(phenylmethyl)oxy]ethyl}oxirane (10.0 g, 56.1 mmol, Synthesis 1992, 7, 621-623) in 20 mL of THF was added over 30 minutes and stirred for an additional hour at −78° C. After warming to room temperature the solvent was evaporated and the orange red oil was chromatographed on silica gel with 20-25% EtOAc in Hexanes to give the title compound (11.05 g, 58%). 1H NMR (400 MHz, CHLOROFORM-D) δ ppm 1.8 (m, 3H) 3.6 (m, 1H) 3.7 (m, 2H) 4.1 (m, 2H) 4.5 (m, 2H) 7.3 (m, 9H).

Provenance & Evidence