Nitrile Synthesis through Catalyzed Cascades Involving Acid–Nitrile Exchange

Abstract

Irreversible acid–nitrile exchange reactions using both glutaronitrile and (phenylsulfonyl)acetonitrile may be catalyzed by Lewis acids. Whereas a cyclization towards imides displaces the equilibria in the reaction with dinitriles, a decarboxylation step is involved when using the (phenylsulfonyl)acetonitrile.