Ruthenium-Catalyzed Oxidation of Nitriles with <i>tert</i>-Butyl Hydroperoxide

Abstract

The ruthenium-catalyzed reaction of α-substituted nitriles 1 with t-BuOOH gives 2-(tert-butyldioxy)alkanenitriles 2 efficiently, while that of nitriles 3 gives acyl cyanides 4. The present reactions provide novel methods for the transformation of nitriles to cyanohydrins and ketones upon catalytic hydrogenation of 2, and titanium-induced reaction of 2, respectively.