SYNTHESIS OF 2-(4-CHLOROPHENYL)-3-METHYL BUTYRONITRILE USING ISOPROPYLESTER OF BENZENESULFONIC ACID

摘要

In recent years development of new photostable high potency pyrethroid agricultural pesticides gave notable compounds such as permethrin, cypermethrin, deltamethrin and fenvalerate. 2-(4-Chlorophenyl)-3-methyl butyronitrile is an important intermediate of non-cyclopropane carboxylic acid pyrethrolds like fenvalerate. The various methods for preparing the butyronitrile as reported in patent literature involve the use of metallic magnesium and methanol, or metallic sodium under pressurized conditions and at higher temperature, or strong alkali like sodium amide and sodium hydride, as catalysts, or a tetrabutyl ammonium halide phase-transfer catalyst in concentrated alkali solution. This paper presents a new facile route of synthesis of the butyronitrile, using the isopropyl ester of benzenesulfonic acid and p-chlorobenzyl cyanide as the starting raw materials, obviating the use of any catalyst.