Hydrogen Cyanide → 2-Amino-3-phenylpropanenitrile

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

1 millimoles (0.117 g) of benzyl cyanide is dissolved in 1 ml of anhydrous toluene, at 0° C., under an argon atmosphere. 1.5 millimoles of a toluenic solution 1.5 M of diisobutylaluminum hydride (1 ml) are added dropwise at this temperature. The reaction mixture is maintained at 0° C. for 1 hour, then a solution of hydrocyanic acid (in excess) in tetrahydrofuran is added to this mixture, which is then maintained at room temperature for 3 hours, then hydrolyzed with 4 ml of methanol and pasty sodium sulfate. After an acid-base extraction, there are obtained 0.107 g of 2-amino-3-phenyl-propionitrile, in the form of a pale-yellow oil, with a yield of 70%.

Provenance & Evidence