Unusual products from the cyanide displacement reaction of methyl 5-Chloromethylfuran-2-carboxylate

Abstract

Treatment of the title chloro compound (9) with sodium cyanide in N,N-dimethylformamide or dimethyl sulphoxide yielded methyl 2-cyan;-2,5-dihydro-5-(5'-methoxycarbonylfurfurylmethylene)-furan-2-carboxylate (12) and methyl 2-cyano-2,5-dihydro-5-[bis(5'-methoxycarbonylfurfuryl)methylenelfuran-2-carboxylate (13) as well as methyl 5-cyanomethylfuran-2-carboxylate (8).