Deboronative cyanation of potassium alkyltrifluoroborates via photoredox catalysis.

A photoredox catalytic method was developed for the direct cyanation of alkyltrifluoroborates. This reaction provides a new and useful transformation of the easily available alkyltrifluoroborates. The photocatalytic reaction can tolerate a variety of functional groups with mild reaction conditions. Mechanistic investigations are consistent with the present reaction following a radical pathway.