Syntheses of substituted-1,2,4-triazoles

Starting from the readily available 3-phenylpropionitrile, 3-(or 5-)(2-phenethyl)-1,2,4-triazole 3 was prepared. Reaction of compounds 3 with diazomethane afforded 1-methyl-3-(2-phenethyl)-1,2,4-triazole (4) and 1-methyl-5-(2-phenethyl)-1,2,4-triazole (5) . Reaction of compound 3 with methanesulfonyl chloride, benzenesulfonyl chloride or p-toluenesulfonyl chloride afforded only one of the expected isomer; namely compounds 6 , 7 and 8 respectively.