Biphasic cyanation of aryl halides with counter phase transfer catalysts

Article abstract of DOI:10.1246/cl.1998.425

The cyanation of aryl iodides with NaCN under heptane-water two-phase conditions is efficiently catalyzed by PdCl2{PPh₂(m-C₆H₄SO₃Na)}₂ in the presence of zinc chloride and NaBH₄, and gave the corresponding aryl nitriles in high yields. The biphasic cyanation had an advantage in that the aryl nitriles are easily separated from the mixtures of catalyst and reagents.