Potassium Cyanide → 3-Cyano-5-phenyltoluene

Participants

Reaction Steps

A mixture of 3-trifluoromethanesulfonyloxy-5-phenyltoluene (35.6 g; 0.128 mol), tetrakis(triphenylphosphine)palladium (12 g; 0.01 mol) and KCN (15.11 g; 0.23 mol) in dioxan (300 ml) was heated at reflux under argon an atmosphere for 24 hours. After extraction with ether and evaporating, the residue was purified by flash chromatography eluting with petroleum ether/ethyl acetate (84/6) to give 3-cyano-5-phenyltoluene. Yield=20%.

Provenance & Evidence