Guaiacol → (2-Methoxyphenoxy)acetonitrile

Participants

Reaction Steps

Potassium carbonate (24 g) was added to a solution of of 2-methoxy phenol (18.94 g, 0.152 mol) in acetone (500 ml) at room temperature. A solution of bromoacetonitrile (17.43 g, 0.145 mol) in acetone (500 ml) was then added and the resulting suspension was heated at reflux for 10 h. The reaction vessel was then cooled and the solution was concentrated under reduced pressure and taken up into water (150 ml). Chloroform (250 ml) was added and the two layers separated. The organic phase was washed with brine (100 ml) and 10% aqueous NaOH (100 ml). The organic phase was dried (MgSO4) and concentrated under reduced pressure to give the product (19.91 g, 80%) as an oil. 1H NMR (CDCl3, 250 MHz) 7.0 (4H m), 4.8 (2H, s), 3.9 (3H, s).

Provenance & Evidence