Electroorganic chemistry 139. Electroreductive decyanation of nitriles and its application to synthesis of α-alkylamines

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/S0040-4020(01)80493-2

Electroreduction of nitriles gave the corresponding decyanated products when Zn was used as the material of cathode in aprotic solvent (DMF or MeCN) containing Et₄NOTs as a supporting electrolyte. Alkylation of amines at the α-position was effectively achieved by cyanation of amines at the α-position, and α-alkylation of the resultant α-amino nitriles followed by the electroreductive decyanation.