Water → 2-(3-Hydroxyphenyl)acetonitrile

Participants

Reaction Steps

To a solution of 2-(3-methoxyphenyl)acetonitrile (2 g; 13.59 mmol) in 13 mL of dry DCM) cooled at 0° C. under nitrogen atmosphere, a 1M solution of BBr3 in DCM (28.54 mmol; 28.54 mL) is slowly added dropwise. The mixture is stirred at room temperature for 20 hours. The reaction mixture is then poured into ice, water is added and the organic phase is extracted three times with DCM, washed with brine and dried over anhydrous Na2SO4. After evaporation, the crude mixture is chromatographed on silica gel using PE/EtAc (80/20) as an eluant, yielding 1.28 g (71%) of 2-(3-hydroxyphenyl)acetonitrile.

Provenance & Evidence