2,3-Difluorophenylacetonitrile丨CAS 145689-34-5

2,3‑Difluorophenylacetonitrile (CAS 145689‑34‑5) is a versatile synthetic intermediate used across medicinal chemistry, agrochemical research, and fine‑chemical synthesis. It functions as a benzyl‑nitrile building block for constructing heterocycles (e.g., tetrazoles, imidazoles, and pyridines) and for installing difluorinated aryl‑methylene motifs via alkylation, condensation, or cross‑coupling sequences. In drug discovery it is incorporated into lead scaffolds to probe structure–activity relationships and to introduce a metabolically robust difluoroaryl fragment; in agrochemical R&D it is used to assemble herbicide and fungicide candidates where fluorinated aromatics often improve efficacy. It is also applied in material and specialty‑chemical syntheses where the nitrile can be converted to amides, amines, or heteroaromatic rings for further functionalization.

The combined nitrile and 2,3‑difluoro substitution pattern delivers several practical and pharmacochemical advantages. The nitrile is a compact, polar, and synthetically transformable group-readily converted into amines, amides, acids, or tetrazoles-providing flexible downstream chemistry. The adjacent fluorine atoms strongly influence electronic properties and sterics: they modulate lipophilicity and dipole, often increase metabolic stability, and can improve membrane permeability and target binding in medicinal candidates. Fluorination at the 2,3‑positions can also direct regioselectivity in further functionalization and can alter the acidity/reactivity of the benzylic position, which is useful for selective alkylations or condensations. Additionally, the compound is typically convenient to handle and compatible with common organic solvents and catalytic cross‑coupling conditions, supporting scale‑up.