Sodium Cyanide → 2-(2-Chloropyridin-3-yl)acetonitrile

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

In a 250 mL round bottom flask was dissolved 3-(bromomethyl)-2-chloropyridine (7.2 g, 35 mmol) in MeOH (70 mL). To the solution was added sodium cyanide (3.4 g, 70 mmol), then attached a reflux condenser, stirred the mixture at 80° C., while monitoring the reaction by LCMS. After about 1.5 h, the reaction was cooled to RT, concentrated, diluted with EtOAc, upon which a white solid crashed out. The solids were filtered and rinsed with EtOAc. The organic filtrate was concentrated to yield a crude reddish brown solid. The solid was dissolved in EtOAc, and purified by silica gel chromatography eluting with 40-70% EtOAc/Hexanes. The product fractions were concentrated to yield 2-(2-chloropyridin-3-yl)acetonitrile as an off-white solid. MS m/z=153 [M+1]+. Calc'd for C7H5ClN2: 152.58.

Provenance & Evidence