Ammonium Chloride → 5-(Hydroxymethyl)nicotinonitrile

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

A mixture of 4.2 g (22.34 mmol) of (5-bromopyridin-3-yl)methanol and 5 g (55.84 mmol) of copper cyanide in 22 mL of pyridine is heated for 20 hours in a sealed tube at 160° C. After cooling to room temperature, the medium is taken up in 10 mL of concentrated aqueous ammonia and 30 mL of saturated NH4Cl solution and then stirred for 2 hours. The medium is then extracted with 200 mL of a DCM/iPrOH mixture (85/15), dried over Na2SO4 and then concentrated under reduced pressure and purified by chromatography on a column of silica gel, eluting with a 98/2 DCM/MeOH mixture. 2.13 g of 5-(hydroxymethyl)pyridine-3-carbonitrile are obtained in the form of a white solid.

Provenance & Evidence