Palladium-catalyzed cyanation of aryl halides using K4[Fe(CN)6] as cyanide source, water as solvent, and microwave heating

A methodology for the cyanation of aryl iodides and activated aryl bromides is reported using water as the solvent and K₄[Fe(CN)₆] as the cyanide source. Reactions are complete within 20 min.     

Improving palladium-catalyzed cyanation of aryl halides: development of a state-of-the-art methodology using potassium hexacyanoferrate(II) as cyanating agent

Benzonitriles are easily accessible via palladium-catalyzed cyanation of aryl halides using potassium hexacyanoferrate(II) as cyanide source. This method is applicable on both activated and deactivated aryl and heteroaryl bromides and activated chlorides giving the corresponding benzonitriles in good to excellent yield. Advantageously, the used cyanating agent is non-toxic and cheap. The presented catalyst system is rather simple and it is not necessary to add expensive phosphines, making the novel method also attractive for industrial applications.     

Ligand-free palladium-catalyzed cyanation of aryl halides

[reaction: see text] A practical, ligand-free cyanation of aryl bromides that utilizes as little as 0.1 mol % Pd(OAc)(2) in combination with a nontoxic cyanide source, M(4)[Fe(CN)(6)] (M = K, Na), is described. The reactions are performed in DMAC at 120 degrees C and provide the corresponding aryl nitrile in 83-96% yield, typically in less than 5 h. TON values of up to 7100 were attained.     

Efficient cyanation of aryl bromides with K4[Fe(CN)6] catalyzed by a palladium-indolylphosphine complex

This study describes a general palladium-catalyzed cyanation of aryl bromides using K₄[Fe(CN)₆] as the cyanide surrogate. The reactions can be successfully conducted under mild reaction conditions (at 50 °C) in mixed solvents (water/MeCN = 1:1) without any surfactant additives, and afford the desired aryl nitriles in good-to-excellent yields. Particularly noteworthy is that this system allows the mildest reaction temperature reported so far for palladium-catalyzed cyanation of aryl bromides with K₄[Fe(CN)₆] source in general. Common functional groups, including keto, aldehyde, free amine, and heterocyclic substrates are compatible under this system. Interestingly, the phosphine ligands bearing -PCy₂ moiety, which usually show excellent activity in aryl halide couplings, are found less effective than the corresponding ligands with -PPh₂ group.     

Mild and efficient copper-catalyzed cyanation of aryl iodides and bromides

An efficient copper-catalyzed cyanation of aryl iodides and bromides is reported. Our system combines catalytic amounts of both copper salts and chelating ligands. The latter, which have potential nitrogen- and/or oxygen-binding sites, have never previously been used in this type of reaction. A protocol has been developed that enables the cyanation of aryl bromides through the copper-catalyzed in situ production of the corresponding aryl iodides using catalytic amounts of potassium iodide. Aryl nitriles are obtained in good yields and excellent selectivities in relatively mild conditions (110 degrees C) compared with the Rosenmund-von Braun cyanation reaction. Furthermore, the reaction is compatible with a wide range of functional groups including nitro and amino substituents. The protocol reported herein involves two main innovations: the use of catalytic amounts of ligands and the use of acetone cyanohydrin as the cyanating agent in copper-mediated cyanation reactions.     

Copper-catalyzed domino halide exchange-cyanation of aryl bromides

An efficient copper-catalyzed domino halogen exchange-cyanation procedure for aryl bromides was developed utilizing 10 mol % CuI, 20 mol % KI, 1.0 equiv of the inexpensive N,N'-dimethylethylenediamine as ligand, and 1.2 equiv of NaCN in toluene at 110 degrees C. The new method represents a significant improvement over the traditional Rosenmund-von Braun reaction: the reaction conditions are much milder, and the use of stoichiometric amounts of copper(I) cyanide and polar solvents is avoided; therefore the isolation and purification of the aromatic nitrile products is greatly simplified. In addition, the new method exhibits excellent functional group compatibility comparable to that of the analogous Pd-catalyzed cyanation methodology.     

An Improved Procedure for the Cyanation of Aryl Triflates: A Convenient Synthesis of 6-Cyano-1,2,3,4-Tetrahydroisoquinoline

A short synthesis of 6-cyano-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline is presented. The key step is an improved method of aryl triflate cyanation employing zinc(II)cyanide as the cyanide source.     

Copper-and Silver-Mediated Cyanation of Aryl Iodides Using DDQ as Cyanide Source

A new copper and silver‐mediated cyanation of aryl iodides with DDQ as a cyanide source is achieved, providing nitriles with good yields. This new approach represents a safe method leading to aryl nitriles.     

A novel and convenient synthesis of benzonitriles: electrophilic cyanation of aryl and heteroaryl bromides

N-Cyano-N-phenyl-p-methylbenzenesulfonamide has been used as a more benign electrophilic cyanation reagent for the synthesis of various benzonitriles from (hetero)aryl bromides via formation of Grignard reagents. Electronically different and sterically demanding aryl bromides including functionalized substrates and heteroaryl bromides are successfully cyanated in good to excellent yields. The efficiency of the present methodology is shown by the expeditious syntheses of interesting pharmaceutical intermediates. Notably, chemoselective monocyanation of dibromoarenes is also achieved.     

Progress in the palladium-catalyzed cyanation of aryl chlorides

The development of new palladium catalysts for the cyanation of various aryl and heteroaryl chlorides is described. The combination of amine co-catalysts with chelating phosphine ligands, for example, 1,4-bis(diphenylphosphino)butane (dppb) or 1,5-bis(diphenylphosphino)pentane (dpppe), allows an efficient cyanation of chloroarenes with simple potassium cyanide. General palladium-catalyzed cyanation of nonactivated and deactivated chloroarenes is possible for the first time. Studies of the oxidative addition of aryl halides to palladium triphenylphosphine complexes in the presence and absence of amines suggest that the co-catalyst is capable of preventing catalyst deactivation caused by the presence of excess cyanide ions in solution.     

Copper-catalyzed cyanation of aryl iodide with the combined cyanide source of urea and DMSO

A simple copper-catalyzed cyanation of aryl iodide with the combination of urea and dimethyl sulfoxide as a cyanide source is achieved, providing nitriles in moderate to good yields. This new approach represents an exceedingly practical and safe method for the synthesis of aryl nitriles.     

Copper-mediated cyanation of aryl halide with the combined cyanide source

A simple copper-mediated cyanation of aryl halide with the combination of ammonium bicarbonate and N,N-dimethylformamide as a cyanide source is achieved, providing nitriles in moderate to good yields. This new approach represents an exceedingly practical and safe method for the synthesis of aryl nitriles.     

Copper-mediated cyanation of aryl boronic acids using benzyl cyanide

An efficient copper-mediated synthesis of aryl nitriles from aryl boronic acids has been achieved using benzyl cyanide as a user-friendly cyanide source. Various aryl boronic acids underwent the reaction smoothly, affording the corresponding aryl nitriles in moderate to good yields. tert-Butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP) was found to be a critical agent facilitating the cyanation reaction.     

Microwave-enhanced and ligand-free copper-catalyzed cyanation of aryl halides with K4[Fe(CN)6] in water

Copper-catalyzed cyanation of aryl halides was improved to be more economical and environmentally friendly by using water as the solvent and ligand-free Cu(OAc)₂·H₂O as the catalyst under microwave heating. The suggested methodology was applicable to a wide range of substrates including aryl iodides and activated aryl bromides.     

A practical synthesis of highly functionalized aryl nitriles through cyanation of aryl bromides employing heterogeneous Pd/C

An industrially viable cyanation of aryl bromides with Zn(CN)₂ was accomplished in the presence of inexpensive and readily accessible Pd/C, Zn dust, ZnBr₂, and PPh₃ in DMA to provide functionalized aryl nitriles in moderate to high yields.     

Palladium nanoparticles stabilized by a copolymer of <Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>-vinylimidazole with <Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>-vinylcaprolactam as efficient recyclable catalyst of aromatic cyanation

A new recyclable catalytic system was developed based on palladium nanoparticles and a copolymer of N-vinylimidazole and N-vinylcaprolactam for cyanation of aromatic bromides. The source of the cyanide ion was a nontoxic potassium hexacyanoferrate.     

A facile microwave-assisted palladium-catalyzed cyanation of aryl chlorides

We report an efficient method for the preparation of aryl nitriles from aryl chlorides under either microwave assisted or thermal conditions. A catalyst system comprising tris(dibenzylidene acetone)dipalladium (Pd₂(dba)₃) and 2-(2′,6′-dimethoxybiphenyl)dicyclohexylphosphine (S-Phos) is shown to effectively promote cyanation of various aryl chlorides with Zn(CN)₂ as the cyanide source.     

Palladium-catalyzed, copper(I)-mediated coupling of boronic acids and benzylthiocyanate. A cyanide-free cyanation of boronic acids

A new method for the synthesis of nitriles is described. As a complement to the classic cyanation of aryl halides using cyanide sources and a transition metal catalyst, the palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling of thiocyanates with boronic acids in the presence of copper(I) thiophene-2-carboxylate (CuTC) affords nitriles in good to excellent yields.     

Potassium hexacyanoferrate(II)--a new cyanating agent for the palladium-catalyzed cyanation of aryl halides

A new advantageous cyanating agent, potassium hexacyanoferrate(II), is described for the palladium-catalyzed cyanation of aryl halides. All cyanide ions on the iron(II) center can be transferred to the aryl halide using palladium(II) acetate and dppf as the catalyst. Under optimized reaction conditions good yields of benzonitriles and unprecedented catalyst productivities are observed.     

A convenient procedure for palladium catalyzed cyanation using a unique bidentate phosphorus ligand

A palladium complex bearing 1,2-diphenyl-3,4-diphosphinidenecyclobutene ligand (DPCB) has been used to facilitate the catalytic cyanation of aryl bromides. A series of substituted benzonitriles was prepared in good to high yields by the treatment of the corresponding aryl bromides with Zn(CN)₂ in N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone in the presence of 2-4 mol % catalyst at 100 °C for 16 h.