Synfacts 2024; 20(07): 0705
DOI: 10.1055/s-0043-1773296
Metals in Synthesis

Iridium-Photocatalyzed Hydrodecyanation of Alkyl Isonitriles with NHC–Borane

Contributor(s):
Martin Oestreich
,
Hendrik F. T. Klare
,
Emilio Acuña Bolomey
Jiao Z, Jaunich KT, Tao T, Gottschall O, Hughes MM, Turlik A, *, Schuppe AW. * Vanderbilt University, Nashville and Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, USA
Unified Approach to Deamination and Deoxygenation Through Isonitrile Hydrodecyanation: A Combined Experimental and Computational Investigation.

Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2024; e202405779
DOI: 10.1002/anie.202405779
 

Significance

Isonitriles, which are readily available from amines, alcohols, or alkenes, undergo a hydrodecyanation reaction under iridium photocatalysis. This protocol provides an alternative and facile way to defunctionalize alcohols and amines in two steps under mild reaction conditions.


Comment

This method is chemoselective for isonitriles in the presence of a nitrile group. However, if a heteroatom polarizes the C–CN bond, the protocol can be extended to nitriles (not shown). Density functional theory calculations support the observed reactivity pattern between the two functional groups.




Publication History

Article published online:
14 June 2024

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