PAPER	Synthesis 2007: 1230-1234   DOI: 10.1055/s-2007-965974
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York
Solvent-Free Synthesis of Racemic α-Aminonitriles
Alejandro Baeza, Carmen Nájera*, José M. Sansano
Departamento de Química Orgánica and Instituto de Síntesis Orgánica (ISO), Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Alicante, Apdo. 99, 03080 Alicante, Spain Fax: +34(96)5903549; e-Mail: cnajera@ua.es;
Received 2 February 2007

Abstract

A very simple one-step, environmentally friendly procedure for the synthesis of α-aminonitriles from aldehydes and ketones, using trimethylsilyl cyanide in the absence of solvent, is reported. The active catalyst of this three-component (Strecker) reaction was the amine employed in the transformation. In general, aldehydes react more rapidly than ketones and give almost quantitative yields of the corresponding α-aminonitriles in less than fifteen minutes. However, only cyclic ketones afford the corresponding α-aminonitriles in excellent chemical yields under these conditions.

Key words

addition reactions - Strecker synthesis - catalysis - aminonitriles­ - green chemistry - solvent-free