Hydrochloric Acid → Methyl 5-cyano-2-methylbenzoate

Participants

Reaction Steps

0.5 g of cuprous cyanide was added to 1 g of methyl 4-bromo-o-toluate obtained in Reference example 18 dissolved in 0.7 ml of dimethylformamide and the mixture was refluxed under heating for 6 hours. Then, to the reaction mixture were added 2.6 ml of water, 0.5 ml of conc. hydrochloric acid and 1.75 g of ferric chloride and the mixture was stirred at 60° to 70° C. for 30 minutes. After the reaction mixture was extracted with ethyl acetate, the organic layer was washed with a saturated saline solution and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. The solvent was removed from the solution to obtain 0.76 g of the title compound.

Provenance & Evidence