Sodium Cyanide → [1-(4-Trifluoromethyl-phenyl)-cyclopentyl]-acetonitrile

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

To a stirred solution of methanesulfonic acid 1-(4-trifluoromethyl-phenyl)-cyclopentylmethyl ester (240) (7 g, 21.73 mmol) in dimethyl sulfoxide (200 mL) were added KI (0.361 g, 2.17 mmol) and NaCN (1.6 g, 32.6 mmol). The reaction mixture was then stirred at 140° C. for 6 h. After completion of the reaction, the reaction mixture was diluted with water, extracted with ethyl acetate (2×300 mL) and the organic layer was washed with water and brine. It was then dried over Na2SO4 and concentrated. The crude product was purified by 100-200 silica column chromatography using 5% ethyl acetate in hexane as the eluent to give [1-(4-trifluoromethyl-phenyl)-cyclopentyl]-acetonitrile (241) (3.3 g, 60%) as a colorless thick liquid.

Provenance & Evidence