Acetic Acid → Methyl 2-(4-(cyanomethyl)benzyl)-3-oxobutanoate

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

A stirred mixture of methyl 3-hydroxy-2-methylenebutanoate (30.0 g, 0.23 mol), 2-(4-bromophenyl)acetonitrile (54.2 g, 0.28 mol), PdCl2[P(o-tol)3]2 (1.8 g, 2 mmol) and triethylamine (46.7 g, 0.46 mol) in acetonitrile (90 g) was heated at 70° C. for 6 hours under a N2 atmosphere. The mixture was cooled to 25° C., diluted with toluene (300 g) and 10% aq. acetic acid (360 g), and stirred for 10 minutes. The organic layer was separated, washed with water (360 g), and concentrated under reduced pressure to give the subtitle compound as a red oil, 67.3 g. This product was used in the next step without further purification.

Provenance & Evidence