Ethyl isobutyrate → 32039-89-7

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

Benzylcyanide (1500 mg, 12.8 mmol) was dissolved in 150 ml dry THF and cooled down to 0° C. The solution was stirred at that temperature while NaH (60% in mineral oil, 663 mg) was added slowly. After the addition was completed, the mixture was stirred at 0° C. for 30 min and then the ice bath was removed and stirring continued at RT for 120 min. Ethyl isobutyrate (1785 mg, 15.4 mmol) was added at once and the reaction mixture heated at 60° C. for 2 h. The THF was removed in vacuo and the residue was then poured into ice-water. HCl 6M was added with stirring until neutral pH was reached. The mixture was extracted with EtOAc, dried over MgSO4 and concentrated in vacuo. The compound was purified by flash chromatography [silica; n-heptane-EtOAc (9:1)] to afford 4-methyl-3-oxo-2-phenyl-pentanenitrile (460 mg, 19%).

Provenance & Evidence