tert-Butanol → 2,2-Bis(3-(trifluoromethoxy)phenyl)acetonitrile

Participants

Reaction Steps

To a solution of bis(3-(trifluoromethoxy)phenyl)methanone (9.94 g, 28.4 mmol), prepared as described in Procedure 13, in DME (200 mL) was added TosMIC (7.49 g, 38.3 mmol). The reaction mixture was cooled in an ice-bath and a 1.0 M solution of t-BuOK in t-BuOH (77 mL, 77 mmol) in DME (77 mL) was added via cannula as a slow stream. Upon completion of addition, the ice-bath was removed and the reaction mixture was stirred at rt for 16 h. After this time, additional TosMIC (3.75 g, 19.2 mmol) was added at rt and the reaction mixture was stirred for an additional hour. At the conclusion of this period, the reaction was poured into H2O (150 mL) and extracted with hexane (3×200 mL). The organic portions were combined and dried over Na2SO4, filtered and concentrated under reduced pressure to yield a residue. The residue was purified on a silica gel ISCO cartridge with elution at 0 to 15% EtOAc/hexane to give 2,2-bis(3-(trifluoromethoxy)phenyl)acetonitrile (6.7 g, 67% yield) as a clear yellow oil. LCMS: RT=3.90 min [M−H] 360.2 (2 min Phenomenex Luna C18 column, 4.6×50 mm eluting with 10-90% MeOH/H2O over 4 minutes containing 0.1% NH4OAc; 4 mL/min, monitoring at 220 nm); NMR: 400 MHz 1H(CDCl3) ppm 5.18 (s, 1 H), 7.18 (s, 2 H), 7.24 (d, J=9.67 Hz, 2 H), 7.30 (d, J=7.91 Hz, 2 H), 7.46 (t, J=7.91 Hz, 2 H).

Provenance & Evidence