Ethyl o-cyanomethylcinnamate → Ethyl o-(cyanomethyl)hydrocinnamate

Participants

Reaction Steps

Ethyl o-(cyanomethyl)cinnamate (75.1 g., 0.35 mole) is dissolved in ethanol (300 ml.) and hydrogenated at a pressure of 1 atmosphere and room temperature over 2.5 g. of a 5% palladium on charcoal catalyst. When the theoretical amount of hydrogen (0.35 mole) has been absorbed, the catalyst is filtered off and the ethanol removed by distillation at reduced pressure to yield ethyl o-(cyanomethyl)hydrocinnamate.

Provenance & Evidence