Synthesis

Sodium borohydride as the only reagent for the efficient reductive alkylation of malononitrile with ketones and aldehydes

JC Dunham, AD Richardson, RE Sammelson

Index: Dunham, Jason C.; Richardson, Adam D.; Sammelson, Robert E. Synthesis, 2006 , # 4 p. 680 - 686

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Citation Number: 14

Abstract

Abstract An efficient and convenient method for the synthesis of primary and secondary monosubstituted malononitriles has been developed. In this method, sodium borohydride in isopropanol has a catalytic effect on the initial condensation between malononitrile and aldehydes or ketones at 0 C. The sodium borohydride also simultaneously acts as a reagent and reduces the unsaturated intermediate formed in situ by the condensation. This simple ...