PREPARATION OF NITROARALKYL CYANIDES AND DERIVATIVES THEREOF

摘要

Nitroarylalkyl cyanides may be prepared in a convenient manner by reacting a nitroaromatic compound with an alpha, alpha-disubstituted alkyl cyanide e.g. an alpha, apha-disubstituted acetonitrile, in a substantially anhydrous aprotic solvent and in the presence of a hase so that the nitrile undergoes a nucleophilic substitution on an unsubstituted ring carbon of the nitroaromatic compound during which an alpha-subsituent functions as a leaving group. The nitroaralkyl cyanides formed by the process can be readily converted into derivatives, such as pharmaceuticals.