Shang R, Ji DS, Chu L, Fu Y, Liu L.* Synthesis of a-aryl nitriles through palladium-catalyzed decarboxylative coupling of cyanoacetate salts with aryl halides and triflates. ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION 50, 4470-4474, 2011.

Keywords:arenes;cross-coupling;cyanonides;decarboxylation;palladium Worth its salt: The palladium-catalyzed decarboxylative coupling of the cyanoacetate salt as well as its mono- and disubstituted derivatives with aryl chlorides, bromides, and triflates is described (see scheme). This reaction is potentially useful for the preparation of a diverse array of α-aryl nitriles and has good functional group tolerance. S-Phos=2-(2,6-dimethoxybiphenyl)dicyclohexylphosphine), Xant-Phos=4,5-bis(diphenylphosphino)-9,9-dimethylxanthene.......