Synthesis of Aliphatic Nitriles via Desulfonylative Smiles Rearrangement

Herein, we demonstrate the synthesis of aliphatic nitriles from N-acyl (2-nitrophenyl)sulfonamides via a desulfonylative Smiles rearrangement. The developed reaction routes provide a variety of aliphatic nitriles containing primary, secondary, and tertiary carbon centers in good-to-excellent yields. Our method requires the use of the easy-to-handle reagent potassium acetate and solvent 1,3-dimethyl-2-imidazolidinone, and it does not rely on toxic metal cyanides or transition metals. The process is suitable for large-scale reaction and for one pot syntheses starting from an acyl chloride or a carboxylic acid.