Facile synthesis of nitriles via manganese oxide promoted oxidative dehydrosulfurization of primary thioamides.

In the presence of manganese oxides, dehydrosulfurization of various kinds of primary thioamides including aromatic, heterocyclic, and aliphatic ones efficiently proceeded to give the corresponding nitriles in high yields. The observed catalysis was truly heterogeneous, and manganese oxides could be reused.