Hydrochloric Acid → 3-(2-Methylpropenyl)benzonitrile

Participants

Reaction Steps

To a suspension of isopropyltriphenylphosphonium iodide (24.7 g) in tetrahydrofuran (100 ml) was added a solution of potassium tert-butoxide (7.71 g) in tetrahydrofuran (50 ml) at 25° C. over 20 minutes, and the mixture was stirred for 30 minutes at the same temperature. A solution of 3-cyanobenzaldehyde (5.0 g) in tetrahydrofuran (50 ml) was added at 0° C. over 20 minutes, and the mixture was stirred at 25° C. for 1 hour. The mixture was poured into a mixture of ethyl acetate and 1N hydrochloric acid. The organic layer was separated, washed with water and brine, and dried over magnesium sulfate. The residue was chromatographed on silica gel (200 g) eluting with 10% ethyl acetate in hexane to give 3-(2-methyl-1-propenyl)benzonitrile (4.21 g) as a pale yellow oil.

Provenance & Evidence