Method for the synthesis of 4-oxotetrahydrofuran-3-carbonitrile:
To dry THF at 0 °C was added NaH (266 mg, 11 mmol, 2eq.) and stirred at 0 °C for 10 minutes. To this was added a solution of methyl 2-hydroxyacetate (429 ml, 5.5 mmol, 1 equiv.) in dry THF and the solution was stirred at 0 °C for 10 minutes. To this was added acrylonitrile (366 ml, 5.5 mmol, 1 equiv.) and the reaction was refluxed for 2 hours. Monitor the reaction on TLC, once complete, the reaction was quenched with sat. solution of NaHCO₃ and extracted with ethyl ether. The aqueous layer was acidified to pH 1 and then extracted with dichloromethane. The organic fractions were concentrated to give crude 4-oxotetrahydrofuran-3-carbonitrile as yellow oil. (289 mg, 48% yield)[1].
