SHORTPAPER	Synthesis 2003: 2629-2631   DOI: 10.1055/s-2003-42431
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York
A Selective and Mild Oxidation of Primary Amines to Nitriles with Trichloroisocyanuric Acid
Fen-Er Chen*, Yun-Yan Kuang, Hui-Fang Dai, Liang Lu, Ming Huo
Department of Chemistry, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, P. R. China Fax: +86(21)65642021; e-Mail: rfchen@fudan.edu.cn;
Received 4 August 2003

Abstract

An efficient and highly selective method for the oxidative conversion of primary amines to the corresponding nitriles using trichloroisocyanuric acid in the presence of catalytic TEMPO under mild reaction conditions is described. Other functional groups such as C,C-double bonds, benzyloxy etc. were found to be unaffected under the reaction conditions. This procedure provides a new entry to the synthesis of various aliphatic, aromatic and heterocyclic nitriles in excellent yield.

Key words

trichloroisocyanuric acid - primary amines - nitriles - oxidation