Synthesis
General procedure for the synthesis of 2-(4-trifluoromethoxyphenyl)ethylamine from 2-(4-trifluoromethoxyphenyl)acetonitrile: 650 mL of methanol, 260 g of 2-(4-trifluoromethoxyphenyl)acetonitrile, and wet Nguyen Nai nickel catalyst equivalent to 0.39 mol were added to an autoclave, followed by condensation of 260 mL of ammonia. The reaction mixture was hydrogenated at 130 °C and 140 bar hydrogen pressure for 2 hours. Upon completion of the reaction, the mixture was cooled to room temperature and pressure was released, and the catalyst was removed by filtration. The filtrate was subjected to reduced pressure distillation at 10 hPa to give 224.5 g of 2-(4-trifluoromethoxyphenyl)ethylamine as a colorless liquid in 86.7% of the theoretical yield with a boiling point of 84-86 °C.
References
[1] Patent: US2002/82454, 2002, A1
[2] Patent: WO2003/93231, 2003, A2. Location in patent: Page/Page column 87
[3] Patent: WO2008/39882, 2008, A1. Location in patent: Page/Page column 85
