Hydroquinone → Ethyl 4-cyano-4-(2,3-difluorophenyl)butanoate

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

To a mixture of (2,3-difluorophenyl)acetonitrile (40.5 g, 265 mmol), ethyl acrylate (24 mL, 220 mmol), and hydroquinone (50 mg, 0.45 mmol) was added KOH (2 M in MeOH, 2.0 mL, 4.0 mmol) and the resulting mixture was heated at 160° C. for 16 h and then allowed to cool to ambient temperature. The crude mixture was purified by silica gel chromatography, eluting with a gradient of hexanes:EtOAc—100:0 to 50:50, to give the title compound. MS: m/z=207.9 (M-OEt).

Provenance & Evidence