(2-Hydroxyphenyl)acetonitrile

773837-37-9

90-01-7

14714-50-2

In a 2L round bottom flask reactor, salicyl alcohol (100 g, 806 mmol), sodium cyanide (43.4 g, 886 mmol) and dimethylformamide (1000 mL) were added and the mixture was stirred and reacted at 120°C for 4 hours. Upon completion of the reaction, extraction was carried out using water and ethyl acetate. The organic phase was concentrated and purified by column chromatography to afford 2-hydroxyphenylacetonitrile (90 g, 84% yield).