Irreversible acid–nitrile exchange reactions using both glutaronitrile and (phenylsulfonyl)acetonitrile
may be catalyzed by Lewis acids. Whereas a cyclization towards imides displaces the
equilibria in the reaction with dinitriles, a decarboxylation step is involved when
using the (phenylsulfonyl)acetonitrile.
Key words
acylation - carboxylic acids - nitriles - imides - Lewis acids