Sodium Cyanide → 4-Amino-4-cyano-1,2-dimethyl-piperidine

Participants

Reaction Steps

1,2-Dimethyl-4-piperidone (1.23 g, 9.67 mmol, 1.0 equiv) was dissolved in 39 mL of 2 M NH3 in MeOH (8 equiv NH3). To this solution was added NaCN (0.52 g, 10.6 mmol, 1.1 equiv) and NH4Cl (0.57 g, 10.6 mmol, 1.1 equiv). The resulting mixture was refluxed for 2 h at which time an additional 39 mL of 2 M NH3 in MeOH was added followed by an additional 2 h of reflux. The reaction was cooled and filtered. The filtrate was concentrated and taken up in 100 mL of CH2Cl2 giving more salt precipitate which was removed by a second filtration. The filtrate was then concentrated to thick orange oil (1.32 g, 89%). 1H NMR showed a 3 to 1 mixture of diastereomers of unknown configuration. The crude product was used without further purification; MS, m/z 154=M+1.

Provenance & Evidence