(Triphenylphosphoranylidene)acetonitrile → 2-(7-Methoxybenzofuran-2-yl)acetonitrile

Participants

Reaction Steps

A mixture of 14.16 g of 7-methoxy-3-benzofuranone, 39.4 g of cyanomethylenetriphenylphosphorane and 70 ml of p-xylene was heated at reflux under nitrogen for 16 hours. The solvent was removed, the solid washed repeatedly with ether and the product obtained on removal of the solvent from the ether washings sublimed (145° bath, 1 micron). Crystallization of the sublimate from 20 ml of isopropyl alcohol gave 11.06 g (69% yield) of 7-methoxy-3-benzofuranacetonitrile. Nmr spectrum (in CDCl3): τ2.4 (t, J=1-2 Hz, 1); 2.8-3.3 (m, 3); 6.0 (s, 3) and 6.3 (d, J=1-2 Hz, 2).

Provenance & Evidence