Metalated nitriles and enolates rapidly and efficiently abstract chlorine from 2-chloro-2-fluoro-2-phenylacetonitrile to afford a diverse range of chloronitriles and chloroesters. The method provides the first general anionic chlorination of alkylnitriles, tolerates numerous functional groups, and addresses the challenge of synthesizing alpha-chloronitriles under mild conditions.
A process for the preparation of silyl ketene acetals of the formula,
R₂C=C(OSiRnX3-n) (OZ) or
The process comprises contacting an alpha-ester of a carboxylic acid with an alkali metal in the presence of an excess of an organohalosilane, wherein the alpha-ester has the formula,
and the organohalosilane has the formula RnSiX4-n;
and facilitating reaction among the alpha-ester, the alkali metal and the organochlorosilane to form the silyl ketene acetal and an alkali metal halide or an alkali metal alkoxide.