Potassium Cyanide → (4-Bromo-2-ethyl-phenyl)-acetonitrile

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

To a solution of 4-bromo-1-bromomethyl-2-ethyl-benzene (2.0 g, 7.25 mmol) in DMF/H2O (30 mL/6 mL) was added potassium cyanide (471 mg, 7.25 mmol). The reaction mixture was heated to 45° C. for 3 hours before it was cooled to room temperature. The mixture was diluted with Et2O and washed with H2O, brine and dried over MgSO4. The solvent was removed in vacuo to obtain the desired product (1.33 g, 80% yield). 1H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl3): δ 1.26 (t, J=7.5 Hz, 3 H), 2.60-2.67 (m, 2 H), 3.66 (s, 2H), 7.23-7.26 (m, 1H), 7.35-7.36 (m, 1 H), 7.38-7.40 (m, 1H).

Provenance & Evidence