Development of an Open-Air and Robust Method for Large-Scale Palladium-Catalyzed Cyanation of Aryl Halides: The Use of i-PrOH to Prevent Catalyst Poisoning by Oxygen

Palladium-catalyzed cyanation of aryl halides is an often capricious reaction and lacks robustness due to catalyst poisoning by oxygen. In this report, an open-air and robust method for large-scale cyanation was developed and the use of commercially available i-propanol as an additive was critical for achieving the open-air, robust and scaleable process. Under the protection by i-propanol the catalyst life was significantly prolonged.