Direct Hydroacylation of Arylacrylonitriles toward β-Ketonitriles Assisted by EDA Complex

Abstract

Here, we present a base-mediated directly hydroacylation reaction of arylacrylonitrile. This method provides an efficient approach for highly site-selective synthesis of β-ketonitriles, demonstrating mild, facile and high atom- and step-economical characters. The reaction occurs through a free-radical pathway enabled by EDA complex in the absence of light.