von Braun reaction

von Braun reaction
Named after Julius von Braun
Reaction type Substitution reaction
Reaction
tertiary amine
+
cyanogen bromide
organocyanamide

The von Braun reaction is an organic reaction in which a tertiary amine reacts with cyanogen bromide to an organocyanamide. An example is the reaction of N,N-dimethyl-1-naphthylamine:

These days, most chemists have replaced cyanogen bromide reagent with chloroethyl chloroformate as the reagent of choice instead for the demethylation of tertiary amines. It appears as though Olofson et al. was the first chemist to have reported this.