Hydrochloric Acid → Diethyl bis(2-cyanoethyl)propanedioate

Participants

Reaction Steps

To a solution of diethyl malonate (81 g) in 100 g of 1,4-dioxane containing Triton B (10g of 40% methanol solution) was added dropwise acrylonitrile (55 g) in a period of 30 minutes. The reaction is highly exothermic, and the temperature was controlled at 30°-40° C. by means of a water bath. The reaction mixture was stirred overnight, and later poured into 600 ml of ice-water containing hydrochloric acid (5 ml of conc. HCl). The white precipitate formed was collected by filtration and washed with water. The crude product (m.p. 61°-63° C., 100% yield) was used for the next step without further purification.

Provenance & Evidence