Sodium Cyanide → 3-Chloro-5-(trifluoromethyl)pyridine-2-carbonitrile

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

A reactor was charged with a solution of sodium cyanide (73.5 g) in water (150 ml), propionitrile (500 ml), 4-dimethylaminopyridine (16 g), and 3-chloro-2-fluoro-5-trifluoromethylpyridine (149.3 g) added over 30 minutes. After stirring for 5 hours at 20° C., the upper organic phase was separated off and washed with water. The lower aqueous layer was extracted with propionitrile, the two organic layers combined and solvent distilled off under vacuum at 45° C. to give an 83% yield of 3-chloro-2-cyano-5-trifluoromethylpyridine.

Provenance & Evidence