Phenol → 2-Hydroxybenzonitrile

Participants

Reaction Steps

The phenol (II) is allowed to react with a thiocyanate in the presence of a boron trihalogenide to give an intermediate compound (IIIa), and the boron compound (IIIa) is then treated with a strong base to give a 2-cyanophenol (Ia). Alternatively, the 2-cyanophenol (Ia) can be prepared via the thiocarboxyimidic acid ester (IVa) by stepwise hydrolysis. Thus, IIIa is at first treated with a weak base to give IVa, which is then treated with a strong base to give the 2-cyanophenol (Ia).

Provenance & Evidence