72035-44-0

Upstream product

• 459-56-3 4-fluorobenzylic alcohol 
• 140-29-4 phenylacetonitrile 
• 37629-63-3 (Z)-3-(4-fluorophenyl)-2-phenylacrylonitrile 

Relevant academic research and scientific papers

Nickel-catalyzed hydrogen-borrowing strategy: Chemo-selective alkylation of nitriles with alcohols

The first nickel-catalyzed hydrogen-borrowing alkylation of a series of aryl acetonitriles with a variety of aryl, heteroaryl, allylic and alkyl alcohols releasing water as the by-product (>33 examples, up to 90% yield) is reported.

Base-Promoted α-Alkylation of Arylacetonitriles with Alcohols

A practical method to synthesize α-alkylated arylacetonitriles from arylacetonitriles and alcohols without using any expensive transition metal complexes is demonstrated here. Following this base-catalysed sustainable procedure, various arylacetonitriles were successfully alkylated with different alcohols. The practical applicability of this protocol was extended by one-pot synthesis of important carboxylic acid derivatives.

Iron-Catalyzed Alkylation of Nitriles with Alcohols

A general, efficient iron-catalyzed α-alkylation of nitriles with primary alcohols through a hydrogen-borrowing pathway has been developed, allowing a wide variety of alkylated nitriles to be readily accessible. Detailed mechanistic studies suggest that the reaction proceeds via an olefin intermediate with the turnover rate limited by the hydrogenation of the olefin with an iron hydride. Apart from participating in the alkylation, the nitrile is found to play an important role in promoting the formation of and stabilizing the active catalytic species.

Atmosphere-Controlled Chemoselectivity: Rhodium-Catalyzed Alkylation and Olefination of Alkylnitriles with Alcohols

The chemoselective alkylation and olefination of alkylnitriles with alcohols have been developed by simply controlling the reaction atmosphere. A binuclear rhodium complex catalyzes the alkylation reaction under argon through a hydrogen-borrowing pathway and the olefination reaction under oxygen through aerobic dehydrogenation. Broad substrate scope is demonstrated, permitting the synthesis of some important organic building blocks. Mechanistic studies suggest that the alkylation product may be formed through conjugate reduction of an alkene intermediate by a rhodium hydride, whereas the formation of olefin product may be due to the oxidation of the rhodium hydride complex with molecular oxygen.

Dialkylamino cyclopentadienyl ruthenium(II) complex-catalyzed α-alkylation of arylacetonitriles with primary alcohols

Aminocyclopentadienyl ruthenium complexes, [(η5-C 5H4NMe2)Ru(PPh3)2(CH 3CN)]+BF4- and [(η5- C5H4NEt2)Ru(PPh3) 2(CH3CN)]+BF4-, are moderately active catalysts for α-alkylation of arylacetonitriles with primary alcohols; on the other hand, the analogous unsubstituted cyclopentadienyl ruthenium complex [(η5-C5H 5)Ru(PPh3)2(CH3CN)] +BF4- shows very low catalytic activity. On the basis of experimental results and theoretical calculations, rationalization for the much higher catalytic activity of the aminocyclopentadienyl complexes over that of the unsubstituted Cp complex is provided. In the catalytic systems with the former, it is possible to regenerate the active solvento complexes via protonation of the metal hydride intermediates and subsequent ligand substitution; this process is, however, very nonfacile in the catalytic system with the latter. The Royal Society of Chemistry 2010.

Efficient solvent-free selective monoalkylation of arylacetonitriles with mono-, bis-, and tris-primary alcohols catalyzed by a Cp*Ir complex

Our objectives were to develop catalytic atom-economic processes accessing and/or incorporating versatile functionality using aryl/heteroaryl acetonitriles as substrates. We report essentially solvent-free [Cp*IrCl 2]2 catalyzed redox neutral processes whereby substituted acetonitriles react with primary alcohols to deliver monosubstituted aryl/heteroaryl acetonitriles in excellent yield. We further demonstrate that such processes can be achieved by conventional or microwave heating and that bis- and tris-primary alcohols are also processed efficiently.