Dimethylformamide → 2-Amino-5-cyano-N,3-dimethylbenzamide

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

A flask purged with dry nitrogen was charged with palladium(II) acetate (370 mg, 1.64 mmol), 1,4-bis(diphenylphosphino)butane (850 mg, 2 mmol), activated zinc powder (500 mg, 7.64 mmol), zinc(II) cyanide (51 g, 434 mmol), and 2-amino-5-bromo-N,3-dimethylbenzamide (i.e. the product of Step A) (200 g, 820 mmol). Then freshly degassed N,N-dimethylformamide (500 mL) was added, and the mixture was heated at 130° C. for 25.5 h. Then the temperature was reduced to 95° C., and acetic acid (200 mL) was added. The mixture was sparged with nitrogen to remove hydrogen cyanide through scrubbers charged with aqueous sodium hydroxide and sodium hypochlorite solutions while cooling to room temperature. Then water (1500 mL) was added over 1.5 h, and sparging with nitrogen was continued overnight. Then the mixture was filtered, and the solids were washed with water and dried in a vacuum oven to afford the title compound as fluffy, light yellow solids, 141.5 g (90.9% yield).

Provenance & Evidence