Sodium Cyanide → 4-Benzyl-2-morpholineacetonitrile

Participants

Reaction Steps

The mixture of finely ground sodium cyanide (39.6 g.) and 4-benzyl-2-(toluene-p-sulphonyloxymethyl)morpholine (144.4 g.) in dimethyl sulphoxide (600 ml.) is stirred and heated at 60°-65° C. for 3.5 hours. The mixture is cooled, diluted with water (6 1.) and extracted with ether (3 × 2 1.). The ether extracts are combined and washed with brine (2 × `1.) and dried over anhydrous magnesium sulphate and the solvent removed by evaporation in vacuo. The residue is recrystallised from petroleum ether (b.p. 40°-60° C.) to give 4-benzyl-2-cyanomethylmorpholine, m.p. 62° C.

Provenance & Evidence