Acetic Acid → 2-(3,5-Dichlorophenyl)-3-oxobutyronitrile

Participants

Reaction Steps

To a stirred solution of NaOEt (from 0.69 g sodium), in ethanol (25 ml) at reflux, was added over 5 minutes a mixture of 3,5-dichlorophenylacetonitrile (9.3 g) and ethyl acetate (3.3 g) in dry dimethoxyethane (10 ml). After stirring at reflux for 4 hours, the mixture was cooled on ice, acidified with acetic acid, poured into cold water and extracted with dichloromethane. The combined extracts were washed with water and concentrated to give an oil. Trituration with hexane gave 2-(3,5-dichlorophenyl)-3-oxobutyronitrile as a colourless solid (4.15 g).

Provenance & Evidence