Water → (2-Methyl-1,3-thiazol-4-yl)acetonitrile

Participants

Reaction Steps

4-Chloromethyl-2-methyl thiazole hydrochloride (1 g, 5.4 mmol) was taken up in sodium bicarbonate saturated aqueous solution and extracted with EtOAc, dried (MgSO4), and concentrated in vacuo. The residue was dissolved in 95% ethanol (50 mL) and potassium cyanide (353 mg, 5.4 mmol) followed by water (5 mL) were added to the reaction mixture. The mixture was refluxed for 18 hours and cooled to room temperature. The reaction mixture was taken up in EtOAc and washed with water, dried (MgSO4), and concentrated in vacuo. The residue was purified on silica with a gradient of heptane to 1:1 heptane/EtOAc to give 4-cyanomethyl-2-methyl thiazole (180 mg, 24%).

Provenance & Evidence