Water → 4-Diisopropylamino-2-phenyl-butyronitrile

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

To a solution of 58 parts of α-phenylacetonitrile in 300 parts by volume of toluene is added 83 parts of 2-chloro-N,N-diisopropylethylamine dissolved in 300 parts by volume of toluene. The mixture is heated with stirring to about 80° C. and then 22 parts of sodium amide is added slowly over a period of 30 minutes. The mixture is heated at 80° C. for another 30 minutes and then cooled to room temperature. 500 Parts by volume of water is then added to the mixture and the organic layer is separated and extracted with dilute hydrochloric acid. The aqueous acidic extract is made alkaline by the addition of dilute sodium hydroxide. The alkaline mixture is extracted with ether and the ether extract is dried over calcium sulfate, concentrated and distilled to afford α-[2-(diisopropylamino)ethyl]-α-phenylacetonitrile, as an oil boiling at about 120°-125° C. at 0.3 mm pressure. This compound is represented by the following structural formula ##STR12##

Provenance & Evidence