Direct Transformation of N,N-Dimethylformamide to -CN: Pd-Catalyzed Cyanation of Heteroarenes via C-H Functionalization

This paper describes the direct cyanation of indoles and benzofurans employing N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) as both reagent and solvent. Isotopic labeling experiments indicated that both the N and the C of the cyano group derived from DMF. This transformation offers an alternative method for preparing aryl nitriles, though it is currently limited in scope to indoles and benzofurans.