2-(4-chlorophenyl)-2-phenylacetonitrile

Conditions: temp:0.00; pressure:0.00; stir:

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

Procedure: To a mixture of mandelonitrile (5 g) and chlorobenzene (15.7 g) was added sulfuric acid (9.8 ml) dropwise while the temperature of the mixture was maintained at 5°-10° C. After completion of dropwise addition, the mixture was stirred for another 1.5 hours. This reaction mixture was poured in ice-water and the syrup that had separated out was extracted into ethyl acetate. The extract was washed with saturated aqueous sodium hydrogen carbonate solution, dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate, and concentrated to dryness. The group was purified by silica gel column chromatography to provide the title compound (3.6 g) as pale yellow syrup. was maintained at 5°-10° C After completion of dropwise addition the syrup that had separated out was extracted into ethyl acetate The extract was washed with saturated aqueous sodium hydrogen carbonate solution dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate concentrated to dryness The group was purified by silica gel column chromatography

Conditions: temp:60.01; pressure:0.00; stir:; See reaction.notes.procedure_details.

Procedure: As described in Example 1, 2.04 g. of 50% sodium hydride, 10.12 g. of 2-(4-chlorophenyl)-2-phenylacetonitrile, and 3.06 g. of 4-chloromethylimidazole hydrochloride were reacted in 50 ml. of dimethylformamide. The reaction mixture was stirred for one hour at 60° C. and then for 20 hours at ambient temperature. Evaporation of the solvent and work up as described in Example 1 produced 5.3 g. of the product named above, which was converted to the maleate salt and crystallized from acetone/diethyl ether to obtain 6.29 g. of the maleate salt of the desired product, m.p. 135°-136° C. for 20 hours at ambient temperature Evaporation of the solvent produced 5.3 g crystallized from acetone/diethyl ether to obtain 6.29 g