A Note on Exchange of a Cyanogroup for a Dialkylaminogroup inCyclobutene-l,2-dicarbonitrile and (E)-Ethylenedinitrile
SummaryReactions of electrophilic cyclobutene-l,2-dicarbonitrile and @?)-ethylenedinitrile with secondary amines lead to 1 : 1 adducts of type 3 and 12, respectively. These adducts eliminate hydrocyanic acid either thermally or, more conveniently for preparative purposes, upon treatment with a strong base ( e . g . t-butoxide or methoxide) affording 2-dialkylaminocyclobutenes-1-carbonitriles 4 and 3-dialkylaminoacrylnitriles 13, resp., in high yields.