Diethyl cyanomethyl phosphonate is used as an intermediate in Horner-Emmons reaction for the synthesis of substituted nitriles and their amide and heterocyclic derivatives. It is known as a modified Wittig reagent used in the preparation of alpha, beta-unsaturated nitriles from ketones or aldehydes like 3-hydroxy-3-methylbutanal. It reacts with epoxides and nitrones to prepare cyano-substituted cyclopropanes and aziridines respectively. It is actively involved in the synthesis of alpha-arylated alkanenitriles via reaction with aryl iodides in presence of CuI.
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Applications
Diethyl cyanomethyl phosphonate is used as an intermediate in Horner-Emmons reaction for the synthesis of substituted nitriles and their amide and heterocyclic derivatives. It is known as a modified Wittig reagent used in the preparation of alpha, beta-unsaturated nitriles from ketones or aldehydes like 3-hydroxy-3-methylbutanal. It reacts with epoxides and nitrones to prepare cyano-substituted cyclopropanes and aziridines respectively. It is actively involved in the synthesis of alpha-arylated alkanenitriles via reaction with aryl iodides in presence of CuI.
Solubility
Miscible with water, chloroform, terahydrofuran, ethyl acetate and methylene chloride.
Notes
Incompatible with acids, bases, oxidizing agents and reducing agents.
RUO – Research Use Only
Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons olefination converts carbonyl compounds to substituted acrylonitriles: J. Am. Chem. Soc., 83, 1733 (1961); J. Org. Chem., 30, 505 (1965). LiOH has been found to be an effective base for this reaction: Tetrahedron Lett., 44, 1333 (2003). See Appendix 1. See also 3-Coumaranone, A10202.
The active methylene group can be monoalkylated under phase transfer conditions with alkyl iodides or allylic or benzylic bromides: Synthesis, 516 (1975). Use of alumina as base leads predominantly to the Knoevenagel product rather than the Wadsworth-Emmons: Tetrahedron, 41, 1259 (1985).
Grun, A.; Balint, E.; Keglevich, G. Solid-Liquid Phase C-Alkylation of Active Methylene Containing Compounds under Microwave Conditions. Catalysts 2015, 5 (2), 634-652.
Dai, Y.; Yu, B. Total synthesis of astrosterioside A, an anti-inflammatory asterosaponin. Chem. Commun. 2015, 51 (72), 13826-13829.