Five 2-substituted 3J3-dichloroacrylonitriles (1= 2-hydro, 2= 2-chloro, 3= 2-methyl, 4= 2- cyanoJ and 5= 2-phenyl) have been prepared and their reactions with methoxide and thiophenoxide studied. Spectral data and chemical reactivity indicate that 1-4 are coplanar molecules, whereas the phenyl group in 5 cannot lie in the same plane as the acrylonitrile system and does not activate the p-chlorine atoms. Nitrile 4 reacted exothermically with ...
