Water → 2-Fluoro-4-(hydroxymethyl)benzonitrile

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

4-Bromo-3-fluorobenzyl alcohol (20 g, 0.097 mol) was dissolved in DMF (100 mL) then placed under high vacuum for 15 min. The solution was then purged with Ar for 15 min. While purging continued, zinc cyanide (8 g, 0.068 mol) and the catalyst, Pd[(PPh3)]4, (5.63 g, 0.0049 mol) were added. The reaction mixture was heated at 95° C. under Ar for 18 h, then cooled to ambient temperature and added to H2O. The mixture was extracted with EtOAc, then washed with 1M HCl, H2O, brine, and dried (Na2SO4). Filtration and concentration to dryness gave the title compound as a white solid after chromatography (silica gel, hexane: EtOAc, 6.5:3.5).

Provenance & Evidence