Hydrogen Cyanide → 6-Acetyl-4-chloro-3-(cyanomethyl)-3'-fluorobiphenyl-2-carbonitrile

Participants

Reaction Steps

To a mixture of sodium cyanide (100 mg, 2.0 mmol) in water (0.5 mL) was added sulfuric acid (0.95 g, 0.97 mmol) at 0° C. (the reaction generates hydrogen cyanide and must be run in a fume hood with good ventilation), followed by a solution of 6-acetyl-3-(bromomethyl)-4-chloro-3′-fluorobiphenyl-2-carbonitrile (70 mg, 0.2 mmol) in acetonitrile (2 mL). The reaction was heated at 80° C. for 1 hour with pH adjustment to 9 by addition of solid sodium cyanide. The reaction mixture was cooled and extracted with ethyl acetate. The combined organic layers were washed with brine, dried over sodium sulfate and concentrated to dryness under reduced pressure. The residue was purified on silica gel, eluting with 0 to 40% ethyl acetate in hexane. LCMS calculated for C17H11ClFN2O (M+H)+: m/z=313.1. found: 313.1.

Provenance & Evidence