Cyanoketones startg

An aq.-alc. soln. of the startg. cyanoketone warmed in pH 10 NaaCOg/NaHCOg buffer 7-hydroxy-a,a,y-trimethylbutyrolactam. Y 84%. - This reaction involves an unusually mild basic hydrolysis of a nitrile. F. e. s. R. V. Stevens and M. Kaplan, Chem. Commun. 1970, 822. 

A soln. of diethylaluminum cyanide in benzene added to a soln. of 3,3 -17,17- bisethylenedioxyandrosta -5,8-dien-ll-one in benzene-toluene, and the product isolated after 10 min. at 0° cyanoketone. Y 73.3% with repeated hydrocyanation of recovered startg. m. 91.6%. 

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