4-Acetyl-2-fluorobenzonitrile → 2-Fluoro-4-(2-hydroxypropan-2-yl)benzonitrile

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

To a stirred suspension of CeCl3 (4.7 grams, 19.0 mmole) in tetrahydrofuran (30 ml) at 0° C. was added dropwise 3.0 M methyl magnesium chloride (6.0 ml, 19.0 mmole). The mixture was stirred at 0° C. for 45 minutes and 4-Acetyl-2-fluoro-benzonitrile (2.5 grams, 15.0 mmole) in tetrahydrofuran (20 ml) was added dropwise. The mixture was stirred at 0° C. for 1 hour and quenched with 5 ml 2 N acetic acid added dropwise. The mixture was poured into 200 ml water, acidified to pH 2 with 2 N acetic acid and extracted with ethyl acetate. The combined extracts were washed with water and brine, dried over magnesium sulfate and concentrated to give an oil which was purified via flash chromatography on silica using 50% ethyl acetate/hexane as eluent to give an oil (1.95 g). MW 179.21; MS (m/e) 179 (M+).

Provenance & Evidence