2-propan-2-ylbenzonitrile

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

Procedure: To a dry, N2 purged 100 mL round bottom flask attached with condenser was added 1-bromo-2-isopropylbenzene (10.0 g, 50.2 mmol), anhydrous DMF (26 mL), and CuCN (5.85 g, 653 mmol) The reaction slurry was stirred at reflux under N2 for 4 hrs prior to analysis by GCMS. The reaction mixture was cooled to room temperature and poured into an ice/aq NH4Cl solution. The resulting precipitates were removed by vacuum filtration through a Buchner funnel. The aqueous filtrate was extracted with EtOAc (150 mL×3). The combined organic phase was dried over Na2SO4, filtered and concentrated on the Rotavapor to afford 5.97 g (82% yield) of 2-isopropylbenzonitrile. The product was used in the next step without further purification. GCMS m/z=145 [M+]. To a dry, N2 purged 100 mL round bottom flask attached with condenser at reflux under N2 for 4 hrs The resulting precipitates were removed by vacuum filtration through a Buchner funnel The aqueous filtrate was extracted with EtOAc (150 mL×3) The combined organic phase was dried over Na2SO4 filtered concentrated on the Rotavapor