Sodium borohydride → 2,5-Difluoro-4-(hydroxymethyl)benzonitrile

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

A solution of 2,5-difluoro-4-formylbenzonitrile (Preparation 20, 280 mg, 1.68 mmol) in ethanol (8 mL) was cooled to 0° C. in an ice/water bath. Sodium borohydride (63.4 mg, 1.68 mmol) was added and the reaction stirred at 0-5° C. for 5 hours. The mixture was quenched with aqueous hydrochloric acid (2 N, 20 mL) and extracted with EtOAc (25 mL). The organic layer was washed with saturated aqueous sodium bicarbonate (25 mL), dried over sodium sulphate, and concentrated in vacuo to afford the title compound as a yellow oil, which crystallised on standing (182 mg, 64%).

Provenance & Evidence