2-fluoro-5-(2-oxoethyl)benzonitrile

Conditions: temp:0.00; pressure:0.00; stir:; See reaction.notes.procedure_details.

Procedure: A mixture of 2-fluoro-5-(2-oxoethyl)benzonitrile (1.5 g, 9.2 mmol), tert-butyl(2-aminoethyl)carbamate (1.5 g, 9.2 mmol), NaCNBH3 (1.2 g, 18.4 mmol) and acetic acid (1.6 g, 27.6 mmol) in methanol (20 mL) was stirred at ambient temperature overnight. The solvents were evaporated, and the residue was basified with saturated NaHCO3 to pH=7-8, and extracted with EtOAc. The organic layer was separated, dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate and evaporated. The residue was purified with silica gel column chromatography to give tert-Butyl (2-{[2-(3-cyano-4-fluorophenyl)ethyl]amino}ethyl)carbamate. The solvents were evaporated extracted with EtOAc The organic layer was separated dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate evaporated The residue was purified with silica gel column chromatography