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