Meperidine hydrobromide

A mixture of 23 parts of the ethyl ester of 4 phenylisonipecotic acid and 15 parts of 2,2-diphenyl-4-bromobutyronitrile in 19 parts of xylene is heated for 24 hours at 100°-120°C and then cooled and filtered to remove the precipitate of the hydrobromide of the ethyl ester of 4-phenylisonipecotic acid. The filtrate is then extracted with dilute hydrochloric acid and the extract is rendered alkaline by addition of concentrated aqueous potassium hydroxide and extracted with ether. This ether extract is treated with gaseous hydrogen chloride. The resulting precipitate is collected on a filter. The hydrochloride of the ethyl ester of 2,2 diphenyl-4-(4 -carboxy-4 -phenyl-1 -piperidino) butyronitrile thus obtained melts at about 220.5-222°C. See Meperidine hydrochloride for synthesis of 4-phenyl-isonipecotic acid ethyl ester. 

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