Facile preparation of alpha-aryl nitriles by direct cyanation of alcohols with TMSCN under the catalysis of InX3.
A convenient and efficient synthesis of alpha-aryl nitriles was developed by direct cyanation of alcohols with TMSCN under the catalysis of Lewis acid. Using 5-10 mol % of InBr3 as the catalyst, a variety of benzylic alcohols can be converted to the corresponding nitriles in 5-30 min with yields of 46-99%.
Chen
Gang
G
State Key Laboratory of Organometallic Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 354 Fenglin Road, Shanghai 200032, China.
Wang
Zheng
Z
Wu
Jiang
J
Ding
Kuiling
K
D000438:Alcohols / Q000737:chemistry*; D017605:Bromine Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D002384:Catalysis; D003486:Cyanides / Q000737:chemistry*; D005663:Furans / Q000737:chemistry*; D007204:Indium / Q000737:chemistry*; D015394:Molecular Structure; D009570:Nitriles / Q000737:chemistry*; D014297:Trimethylsilyl Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*
D000438:Alcohols; D017605:Bromine Compounds; D003486:Cyanides; D005663:Furans; D009570:Nitriles; D014297:Trimethylsilyl Compounds; D007204:Indium; C058010:trimethylsilyl cyanide