Cascade Process for Direct Transformation of Aldehydes (RCHO) to Nitriles (RCN) Using Inorganic Reagents NH2OH/Na2CO3/SO2F2 in DMSO.

A simple, mild, and practical process for direct conversion of aldehydes to nitriles was developed feathering a wide substrate scope and great functional group tolerability (52 examples, over 90% yield in most cases) using inorganic reagents (NH2OH/Na2CO3/SO2F2) in DMSO. This method allows for transformations of readily available, inexpensive, and abundant aldehydes to highly valuable nitriles in a pot, atom, and step-economical manner without transition metals. This protocol will serve as a robust tool for the installation of cyano-moieties to complicated molecules.