Water → 2-(4-Fluorophenyl)-2-methylpropan-1-amine

Participants

Reaction Steps

To a solution of 4-fluorophenylacetonitrile (50 g, 370 mmol, 1.0 equiv) and iodomethane (70 mL, 1.1 mol, 3 equiv) in THF (370 mL) was added KOt-Bu (124 g, 1.1 mol, 3 equiv) as a solid in portions such that the reaction mixture did not exceed 50° C. The reaction mixture was stirred overnight and then quenched by the addition of brine. The mixture was diluted with EtOAc and washed twice with brine. The organic layer was dried over Na2SO4, filtered, and concentrated in vacuo to provide 2-(4-fluorophenyl)-2-methylpropanenitrile as a yellow oil (57 g, 94%), which was used without further purification in the next step. To a solution of the nitrile in dry THF (800 mL) was added a solution of lithium aluminum hydride (210 mL, 2 M in ether, 420 mmol, 1.2 equiv). After the mixture was heated at reflux overnight, the reaction was allowed to cool to room temperature, and a Fieser and Fieser work-up (300 uL water/mmol, 1.0 mL 3N NaOH/mmol, 300 uL water/mmol) was performed. Filtration of the resulting solids provided the title compound as an orange oil (57 g, 92%).

Provenance & Evidence