Sodium Cyanide → 2-(4-Bromo-3-fluorophenyl)acetonitrile

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Reaction Steps

A solution of 4-bromo-3-fluorobenzyl bromide (27 g, 0.1 moles) in ethanol (200 ml) is mixed with NaCN (5.4 g, 0.11 moles) and refluxed for 3 hours. The mixture is concentrated under vacuum; the resulting residue is taken up with water and then extracted with ethyl acetate. The organic phase is washed with brine, dried over sodium sulfate, and concentrated under vacuum to give a dark oil (12.1 g, 56% yield).

Provenance & Evidence