title: DBU catalyzed cyanoacylation of ketones with acyl cyanides.
abstract: The reaction of cyclohexanone with benzoyl cyanide catalyzed by amines provides the corresponding O-benzoyl cyanohydrin adducts in moderate to good yields under mild conditions. Among the catalysts, DBU was found to be the most effective promoter allowing the reaction to proceed smoothly at room temperature and to give the corresponding O-acyl cyanohydrin adducts in higher yields for a variety of substituted cyclohexanones, cyclopentanone, acetone or pentan-3-one and various acyl cyanides.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Organometallic Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Wen
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shi
mesh_terms: D000215:Acylation; D002384:Catalysis; D007659:Ketones / Q000737:chemistry*; D009570:Nitriles / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry; D014508:Urea / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D007659:Ketones; D009570:Nitriles; C430593:cyanohydrin; D014508:Urea; C483182:N,N'-dibutylurea