A Mild Synthetic Protocol for Conversion of Aldehydes to Nitriles Using a Copper Catalyst and LiHMDS as the Nitrogen Source
Abstract
Interconversion of functional groups in organic chemistry is a key task. Here we have developed an oxidative transformation of aldehydes to nitriles using lithium bis(trimethylsilyl)amide as a nitrogen source and copper iodide as an inexpensive catalyst under aerobic and ligand free conditions. The reaction proceeds in 23-98% yield (median of 78%), tolerating various functional groups (22 examples). Furthermore, the reaction was easily scaled to 25 mmol (3.2 g of nitrile product), potentially making it relevant for industry applications.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Asymmetric Hydrogenation and Catalysis
Chemical Synthesis and Reactions
Chemical Synthesis and Analysis
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Organic Letters
- Publisher
- American Chemical Society (ACS)
- Volume
- 28
- Issue
- 10
- Pages
- 3272–3275
- Publication date
- 26 February 2026
- Language
- EN