A convenient and efficient procedure for the palladium-catalyzed cyanation of aryl halides using trimethylsilylcyanide

Benzonitriles are easily accessible from the corresponding aryl bromides in a palladium-catalyzed reaction using trimethylsilylcyanide (TMSCN) as cyanating agent under mild conditions. The key of success for the cyanation protocol is the slow dosage of the TMSCN to the reaction mixture. This new method is applicable to both activated and deactivated aryl and heteroaryl bromides giving the corresponding benzonitriles in good to excellent yields. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.