Ethylene Oxide → 2-Chloro-4-fluoro-3-(2-hydroxyethyl)benzonitrile

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Reaction Steps

To a solution of 2-chloro-4-fluorobenzonitrile (20.0 g, 128.6 mmol) in THF (200 mL) added LDA (28% wt in THF, 71.0 mL, 142.0 mmol) at −78° C. After addition, the mixture was stirred at the same temperature for 5 h, then ethylene oxide (9.7 ml, 194.2 mmol) was added. The reaction mixture was allowed to warm to R. T. gradually and stirred overnight. The reaction was quenched by adding saturated aqueous NH4Cl solution and extracted with EtOAc (400 mL). The EtOAc extracts were washed with water, brine and dried over Na2SO4. After the solvent was removed, the residue was purified by SiO2 column to give 2-chloro-4-fluoro-3-(2-hydroxyethyl)benzonitrile (17.0 g, 66%). 1H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl3, δ in ppm) 7.58 (dd, J=5.5, 8.6 Hz, 1H), 7.10 (t, J=8.6 Hz, 1H), 3.88 (m, 2H), 3.13 (t, J=6.8 Hz, 2H).

Provenance & Evidence