A Synthesis of Atenolol Using a Nitrile Hydration Catalyst

The synthesis of atenolol is described using a platinum containing homogeneous catalyst for the conversion of a nitrile to an amide. The catalytic reaction may be employed as the final step in the synthesis or in the preparation of the intermediate 4-hydroxyphenylacetamide. The structure of the nitrile intermediate, 1-(4‘-cyanomethylphenoxy)-2-hydroxy-3-isopropylaminopropane, has been determined by X-ray crystallography.