Transition Metals Catalyzed Element-Cyano Bonds Activations

Abstract

Cyano group as a versatile functionalized intermediate has been explored for several decades, as it readily transfers to many useful functionalization groups such as amine, amide, acid, etc., which make it possess high popularization and use value in organic synthesis. Reactions involved with element-cyano bond cleavage can provide not only a new cyano group but also a freshly functionalized skeleton in one-pot, consequently making it of high importance. The highlights reviewed herein include H-CN, Si-CN, C-CN, B-CN, Sn-CN, Ge-CN, S-CN, Halo-CN, N-CN, and O-CN bonds cleavages and will summarize progress in such an important research area. This review article will focus on transition metal catalyzed reactions involving element-cyano bond activation.

Decarbonylative Cyanation of Amides by Palladium Catalysis

“…Recently, direct cyanation of arenes by a photoredox mechanism has been disclosed . Noteworthy progress in the synthesis of alkyl nitriles by transfer hydrocyanation and radical relay mechanisms has been made. , However, the synthesis of aryl nitriles from carboxylic acid derivatives after direct oxidative addition into the acyl bond represents a major challenge. Carboxylic acid derivatives are cheap, readily accessible, and derived from a different pool of precursors than halides, phenols, anilines, or hydrocarbons …”

The reductive decyanation reaction: an overview and recent developments

“…Improvements towards mild and green conditions with a large substrate scope have been achieved in many reactions including decyanation. Several reviews account for the richness of this chemistry [ 93 – 99 ]. Two major pathways for the C–CN bond activation have emerged ( Scheme 15 ).…”