1. In a dry reaction flask, 0.551 g (5.00 mmol) N-cyanomethylpyrrolidine was dissolved in 5.00 mL of dichloromethane.
2. The reaction system was cooled to 0°C and 0.442 mL (5.00 mmol) of trifluoromethanesulfonic acid was slowly added dropwise.
3. After the dropwise addition was completed, the reaction mixture was stirred at room temperature for 1 hour.
4. 10 mL of ether was added to the reaction mixture and a white solid precipitated.
5. The solid product was collected by vacuum filtration and washed with ether (1 mL × 3 times).
6. The resulting solid was dried under reduced pressure to give 1.11 g of white powdered 1-(cyanomethyl)pyrrolidine-1-trifluoromethanesulfonate (4.27 mmol, 85% yield). 7. The product was characterized by IR.
7. Product characterization: IR (KBr) νmax: 2996, 2841, 2651, 2477, 2347, 2282, 1637, 1462, 1437, 1269, 1228, 1168, 1033, 985, 911, 849, 761, 641 cm-1; 1H-NMR (300 MHz, CD3CN) δ: 8.16 (br, 1H-NMR). 8.16 (br, 1H), 4.30 (s, 2H), 3.50 (br, 4H), 2.14-2.09 (m, 4H); 13C-NMR (75 MHz, CD3CN) δ: 121.2 (q, JCF = 320 Hz), 55.9, 42.0, 23.5.
