The chemistry of acylals. 3. Cyanohydrin esters from acylals with cyanide reagents

reaction: see text] When treated with KCN in DMSO at room temperature, acylals from aliphatic aldehydes gave the corresponding cyanohydrin esters in good to excellent yields. Acylals from aromatic aldehydes were less reactive and gave several byproducts in addition to fair yields of cyanohydrin under the same conditions. Trimethylsilyl cyanide mixed with titanium(IV) chloride afforded cyanohydrin esters in good to excellent yields from both aliphatic and aromatic aldehydes.