Synthesis and Structural Study of Cytisinylphenylacetic Acid Nitriles

Abstract

Nitriles of stereoisomeric cytisinylarylacetic acids were synthesized by reacting cytisine with aromatic aldehydes in the presence of acetone cyanohydrin. Nitriles of cytisinylphenylacetic acids with the R- and S-configuration of the arylacetonitrile fragment were shown to be formed regioselectively in basic solution. The absolute configurations of the synthesized products were established using NMR spectroscopy and X-ray crystal structure analyses.