Methyl iodide → 2-(4-Methoxyphenyl)propanenitrile

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

14.7 g (0.10 mole) of p-methoxyphenylacetonitrile was dissolved in 250 ml of dry tetrahydrofuran and placed in a dry ice/isopropanol bath under N2. 69.0 ml of 1.6M n-butyl lithium (0.11 mole) was added dropwise over 30 minutes and the mixture stirred at -78° C. for one hour. The lithium salt of the nitrile precipitated as a yellow solid during this time. 71.0 g (0.50 mole) of methyl iodide was then added and stirring at -78° C. continued for an additional hour. The mixture was then poured into saturated ammonium chloride and the product extracted into diethyl ether, washed with saturated sodium chloride and dried over sodium sulfide. It was filtered and evaporated, redissolved in methylene chloride and passed through Florisel®. Evaporation gave 15.0 g of α-(p-methoxyphenyl)propionitrile as an orange oil.

Provenance & Evidence