Beca. use of the low yields attendant to the methylation of P-benzylaminopropionitrile the tertiary amine IV was prepared by another method. Benzaldehyde and methylamine were c~ ndensed~,~ to give the Schiff base V in 91% yield; this was reduced to benzylmethylamine (VI) in 74Yc yield and the latter was added to acrylonitrile in 93% yield to give the desired tertiary amino nitrile IV.
