2,2-diphenylpropanenitrile

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

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

Procedure: A mixture of 2.07 g of 2,2-diphenyl propionitrile and 2.78 g of ethylenediamine.tosylate was heated at 200° C. for 3 hours. After cooling, the solution was rendered basic with an alkali hydroxide and extracted with chloroform. The chloroform layer was washed with water and dried. After evaporating chloroform, the resulting residue was recrystallized from a mixture of benzene and hexane to give 1.4 g of 2-(2,2-diphenyl ethyl)-2-imidazoline having a melting point of 98° to 101° C. The hydrochloride thereof had a melting point of 173°-175° C. After cooling extracted with chloroform The chloroform layer was washed with water dried After evaporating chloroform the resulting residue was recrystallized from a mixture of benzene and hexane

Conditions: temp:40.01; pressure:0.00; stir:; See reaction.notes.procedure_details.

Procedure: 42.3 g (0.201 mol of 2,2-diphenylpropionitrile [sic] were dissolved in 230 ml of THF, and 41.4 g (0.217 mol) of p-toluenesulfonic acid were added. Then 14.09 g (0.217 mol) of KCN in 60 ml of water were added dropwise. The mixture was then heated at 40° C. for 3 hours. The reaction mixture was concentrated to about 30% under reduced pressure, taken up in water and extracted three times with ethyl acetate. The combined organic phases were washed twice with sodium disulfite solution, dried with MgSO4 and concentrated under reduced pressure. The crude product was chromatographed on silica gel with n-heptane/ethyl acetate (20:1). 41.2 g (86%) of 2-hydroxy-3,3-diphenylbutyronitrile were obtained. The reaction mixture was concentrated to about 30% under reduced pressure extracted three times with ethyl acetate The combined organic phases were washed twice with sodium disulfite solution dried with MgSO4 concentrated under reduced pressure The crude product was chromatographed on silica gel with n-heptane/ethyl acetate (20:1)