A cascade process for directly converting nitriles (RCN) to cyanamides (RNHCN) via SO2F2-activated Tiemann rearrangement.

A simple, mild and practical process for the direct conversion of nitriles to cyanamides was newly discovered and exhibited a wide substrate scope as well as great functional group-tolerability (36 examples). In this efficient strategy, the in situ generated amidoximes obtained from the reaction of nitriles with hydroxylamine subsequently underwent Tiemann rearrangement, producing the corresponding cyanamides with great isolated yields under SO2F2. Additionally, the control experiments reportedly shed light on the tentative mechanism involved in the formation and elimination of the key intermediate: a sulfonyl ester.