The cyanidation of malononitrile (MN) was first described by Schmidtmann in Ber. Dtsch. Chem. Ges. 1896, 29, 1168. In Chem. Ber. 1929, 62B, 153,
Birckenbach et al. have disclosed the cyanidation of MN by means of cyanogen bromide.
These rely on strong bases and anhydrous conditions, unlike your route. |