Potassium Cyanide → 2-(6-Bromopyridin-3-yl)acetonitrile

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Reaction Steps

The 476 g of crude 2-bromo-5-bromomethylpyridine from step 4 was dissolved in 4000 mL of dimethylformamide (DMF)/water (7:1) and treated with 168 g (2.58 mol) of potassium cyanide. The reaction was allowed to stir at ambient temperature for 72 h, concentrated in vacuo, and partitioned between ethyl acetate and water; the organic layer was washed with water, washed with brine, dried (MgSO4), and reconcentrated in vacuo to provide the crude nitrile. Purification by silica gel chromatography (Waters Prep-500A) using ethyl acetate/hexane (25:75) gave 109 g (32% from 2-bromo-5-picoline) of 2-bromo-5-cyanomethylpyridine as a yellowish orange solid: mp 55.5°-57.5° C; NMR (CDCl3) δ 3.74 (s, 2H), 7.54 (d, J=8Hz, 1H), 7.59 (dd, J=8 and 2 HZ, 1H), 8.35 (d, J=2Hz, 1H); MS (FAB) m/e (rel intensity) 199 (85), 197 (100).

Provenance & Evidence