Nitric Acid → 3-Cyanomethyl-1-nitro-2,4,6-trimethylbenzene

Participants

Reaction Steps

To a suspension of 2,4,6-trimethylphenylacetonitrile (4.5 g) in acetic acid (40 mL) at RT was added dropwise 70% HNO3 (20 mL) and conc. H2SO4 (5 mL). The brown reaction mixture was stirred for 1 h, poured into ice-water (500 mL). The product was extracted into ethyl acetate, the extract was washed with water, dried over MgSO4 and concentrated to give 3-cyanomethyl-1-nitro-2,4,6-trimethylbenzene as an oil (5.8 g, quantitative yield).

Provenance & Evidence