Copper-mediated transformation of organosilanes to nitriles with DMF and ammonium iodide.

Cyanation of aryl-, diaryldimethyl-, and styrylsilanes was developed for the first time under copper-mediated oxidative conditions using ammonium iodide and DMF as the combined source of nitrogen and carbon atom of the introduced cyano unit, respectively. The reaction was observed to proceed in a two-step process: initial conversion of organosilanes to their iodo intermediates and then cyanation. This method has a broad substrate scope with high functional group tolerance.