Mild and Efficient Silylcyanation of Ketones Catalyzed by<i>N</i>-Methylmorpholine<i>N</i>-Oxide

Abstract

An efficient method for achiral addition of TMSCN to ketones by employing N-methylmorpholine N-oxide (NMO) alone as the catalyst is described. A variety of aromatic, aliphatic, cyclic and heterocyclic ketones are converted into their corresponding trimethylsilyl ethers in excellent yields (>90%).