Ni-catalyzed reductive decyanation of nitriles with ethanol as the reductant
Wu Ke, Yichen Ling, Nan Sun, Baoxiang Hu, Zhenlu Shen, Liqun Jin, Xinquan Hu
Abstract
A nickel-catalyzed reductive decyanation of aromatic nitriles has been developed, in which the readily available and abundant ethanol was applied as the hydride donor. Various functional groups on the aromatic rings, such as alkoxyl, amino, imino and amide, were compatible in this catalytic protocol. Heteroaryl, benzylic and alkenyl nitriles were also tolerated. Mechanistic investigation indicated that ethanol provided hydride efficiently via β-hydride elimination in this reductive decyanation.
Topics & Concepts
CatalysisReagentHydrideEnvironmentally friendlyChemistryEthanolNickelCombinatorial chemistryOrganic chemistryMetalEcologyBiologyAsymmetric Hydrogenation and CatalysisCatalytic C–H Functionalization MethodsNanomaterials for catalytic reactions