N-butyl-cyanide

Place 100 g. (105 ml.) of n-butyl cyanide (Section 111,113) and a solution of 92 g. of pure sodium hydroxide in 260 ml. of water in a 1500 ml. round-bottomed flask, attach a double surface condenser, and reflux... 

The iso-nitrile may be removed by the following procedure. Shake the crude (undistilled) n-butyl cyanide twice with about half its volume of concentrated hydrochloric acid and separate carefully after each washing then wash successively with water, saturated sodium bicarbonate solution and water. Dry with anhydrous calcium chloride or anhydrous calcium sulphate, and distil. Collect the pure n-butyl cyanide at 139-141°. If a fraction of low boiling point is obtained (because of incomplete drying), dry it again with anhydrous calcium sulphate and redistil. The yield is 95 g. 

For practice, the student should carry out both alkaUne (compare Section 111,83) and acid hydrolysis of acetonitrile, n-valeronitrile (n-butyl cyanide) and n-capronitrile (n-amyl cyanide). 

This product is sufficiently pure for the preparation of phenylacetic acid and its ethyl ester, but it contains some benzyl tso-cyanide and usually develops an appreciable colour on standing. The following procedure removes the iso-cyanide and gives a stable water-white compound. Shake the once-distilled benzyl cyanide vigorously for 5 minutes with an equal volume of warm (60°) 60 per cent, sulphuric acid (prepared by adding 55 ml. of concentrated sulphuric acid to 100 ml. of water). Separate the benzyl cyanide, wash it with an equal volume of sa+urated sodium bicarbonate solution and then with an equal volume of half-saturated sodium chloride solution- Dry with anhydrous magnesium sulphate and distil under reduced pressure. The loss in washing is very small (compare n-Butyl Cyanide, Section 111,113, in which concentrated hydrochloric acid is employed). 

Place 200 g. (250 ml.) of rectified spirit in a 1-litre round-bottomed flask fitted with a reflux condenser. Cool in ice and run in, slowly and with frequent shaking, 200 g. (109 ml.) of concentrated sulphuric acid. Add 83 g. (104 ml.) of n-butyl cyanide (Section 111,113) to the mixture and reflux the whole for 10 hours. Allow to cool, pour the reaction mixture into ice water, separate the upper layer of ester and alcohol, and dry over anhydrous magnesium or calcium sulphate. Distil through a fractionating column and collect the ethyl n-valerate at 143-146°. A further amount of the pure ester may be obtained by redrying the fraction of low boiling point and redistilling. The yield is 110 g. 

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