2, 3-Diphenyl-2-pentenenitrile (I), 2-phenyl-3-(p-methoxyphenyl)-2-pentenenitrile (11), and 2, 3-bis-(@-methoxyphenyl)-2-pentenenitrile (111) were prepared by the condensation of the appropriate arylacetonitrile and aryl ethyl ketone. Either sodamide in an aromatic solvent (toluene or xylene) or sodium methoxide in methanol effected these condensations. Both cis- and truns-2, 3-diaryl-2-pentenenitriles were obtained from these reactions. The trans ...
