Cyanoethylation of methyl and ethyl ethers of dimethylphenols

Abstract

The C-cyanoethylation of the methyl and ethyl ethers of dimethylphenols has been carried out with acrylonitrile in the presence of anhydrous AlCl₃ to furnish propionitrile derivatives. The latter on hydrolysis to the corresponding propionic acids followed by cyclization with PPA afforded the appropriate indanones, whose structures have been established on the basis of spectral data and by the formation of 2,4-DNP derivatives.