Benzonitrile → 1-Methyl-4-phenyl-5-(4-pyridyl)imidazole

Participants

Reaction Steps

To a solution of di-iso-propyl-amine (11.2 mL, 79.9 mmol ) in 150 mL of THF at −78° C. was added n-butyllithium (31.9 mL of 2.5 M solution, 79.9 mmol). To the resulting mixture was added a solution of N-methyl-N-[4-picolyl]formamide (10 g, 66.5 mmol) in THF. The resulting orange-brown solution was stirred at −78° C. for 20 min, at which time benzonitrile (13.6 mL, 133 mmol) was added. The resulting dark brown mixture was allowed to warm to rt and stirred for 1 h, heated to reflux for 4 h, and then cooled to rt and partitioned between CH2Cl2 and H2O. The organic extract was washed with aqueous NaCl and dried (MgSO4). The solvent was removed in vacuo, and the residue was purified by flash chromatography, eluting with 50:1 CH2Cl2/MeOH. The title compound was obtained as a light tan solid (5.83 g, 37%): mp 158-159° C.

Provenance & Evidence