Organocatalytic synthesis of cyanohydrin trimethylsilyl ethers by potassium 4‐benzylpiperidinedithiocarbamate under solvent‐free conditions

Abstract

Potassium 4-benzylpiperidinedithiocarbamate was found to be an efficient organocatalyst for facile addition of trimethylsilyl cyanide to a wide variety of aldehydes and ketones to afford corresponding cyanohydrin trimethylsilyl ethers in high to quantitative yields. The reaction proceeded smoothly by employing 2.0 mol% PBPDC loading under mild conditions at room temperature within a very short reaction time.