Benzyl Alcohol → 2-(Benzyloxy)nicotinonitrile

Participants

Reaction Steps

Sodium hydride (60%, 2.89 g, 72.3 mmol) was washed with hexane (1×) and suspended in THF (50 ml). Anhydrous benzyl alcohol (8.57 g, 79.3 mmol) was added dropwise and the reaction mixture was stirred for 30 minutes. A solution of 2-chloronicotinonitrile (10.0 g, 72.2 mmol) in THF (50 ml) was added via a syringe (exotherm). The reaction was stirred at ambient temperature for 18 hours then water was added to quench the reaction. The reaction mixture was partitioned between EtOAc/water and the organic phase dried (MgSO4) and evaporated. The residue was purified by chromatography (SiO2, CH2Cl2) to give 2-benzyloxy-3-cyanopyridine as a pale yellow oil which crystallised on standing (11.4 g, 75%).

Provenance & Evidence