The development of organic transformation using cheap and readily available substrates under mild conditions will be pivotal for green and sustainable synthetic organic chemistry. Concerning our continued interest in the cyanation reaction, a metal-free direct ammoxidation of readily available methyl arenes leading to nitriles was established under mild conditions. A series of aryl methanes especially heteroaryl methanes (30 examples) were applicable in moderate to good yields with good functionality tolerance.

Iodine-Catalyzed Ammoxidation of Methyl Arenes. -A new metal-free direct ammoxidation of readily available methyl arenes leading to the corresponding nitriles is established under mild conditions. A series of aryl methanes especially heteroaryl methanes (30 examples) are applicable in good yields and with good functionality tolerance. -(GUO, S.; WAN, G.; SUN, S.; JIANG, Y.; YU, J.-T.; CHENG*, J.; Chem. Commun. (Cambridge) 51 (2015) 24, 5085-5088, http://dx.