Chloroform → 5-(Hydroxymethyl)nicotinonitrile

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

A stirred mixture of 5-hydroxymethyl-3-bromopyridine (8.50 g, 45.2 mmol) and copper (I) cyanide (10.1 g, 11.3 mmol) in pyridine (50 mL) was heated in a sealed pressure reaction vessel at 165° C. for 20 hours. After cooling to 23° C., the mixture was diluted with concentrated ammonium hydroxide (15 mL) and saturated aqueous ammonium chloride (60 mL), after stirring for 2 hours, the mixture was treated with chloroform (50 mL) and allowed to set for 72 hours. The aqueous layer was then extracted with chloroform. The combined organic extracts were dried (MgSO4), filtered, and concentrated in vacuo. The residue was purified by flash chromatography (silica gel, 2 inch column, 4:1 EtOAc:hexane as eluant) followed by crystallization from diethyl ether to afford 5-hydroxymethyl-3-pyridinecarbonitrile (5.42 g, 40.4 mmol, 89% yield): Rf 0.49 (EtOAc); 1H NMR (CDCl3, 200 MHz)δ8.80 (m, 2H), 8.03 (s, 1H), 4.83 (s, 2H).

Provenance & Evidence