Reactions of 2-pyridylphenylacetonitrile with copper(II) chloride,copper(II) bromide,cobalt(II) chloride and cobalt(II) bromide

Reaction of 2-pyridylphenylacetonitrile with copper(II) chloride and copper(II) bromide in dry ethanol gives the hitherto unreported compound 1,2-di(cyano,phenyl,2′-pyridyl)ethane. The cobalt halides react with 2-pyridylphenylacetonitrile to form 1:1 complexes containing O-ethyl-2-phenyl-2-(2′-pyridyl)acetimidate as ligand. Removal of the ligand by the action of dry liquid ammonia on the complexes provides a better route to the pure imidate than the well known Pinner method.