The second, and more satisfactory, route consisted in the conversion of trimethoxybenzene to 2, 3, 4-trimethoxyiodobenzene (I) by the method of Baker, et al., 5 replacement of the iodine by a cyano group by the action of cuprous cyanide, and reduction of the nitrile I11 to the amine IV with lithium aluminum hydride. Under the usual conditions the cyanation reaction was difficult to control and often commenced with explosive violence. The ...
